Dining in Ikea | Manila, Philippines
My friends and I decided to finally go to Ikea last Sunday.
The decision came about while planning other things to do along with the Hyunjin Cupsleeves event and attending the Pasig Rally later that afternoon. And since there is no need for pre-registrations, and we were also hoping the first-month hype had finally died down, we also targeted having a meal in Ikea.
But since we went on a weekend, we still made sure to arrive as early as we can. Ikea opens at around 10am, so my friends who lived nearby were already there by 9:30.
It was a good call, coz come lunch time lines were longer uli. There's a Swedish Bistro right outside the main entrance of Ikea, but has limited menu and no dine in option so make sure to head inside the store and look for the start of the line to the main restaurant. I was running when my friends messaged me they're already in line.
I can't remember how long first week goers waited in line to order their food, but hearing these horror stories discouraged me to visit asap. Kaya pa naman mag hintay. During our visit, I wasn't able to track but I think we were in line at about an hour before reaching the main area for ordering. Got distracted by our kwentuhan, but I also think it was a tolerable waiting time for a Sunday compared to if we went earlier this year.
The staff were also very commendable, and the whole Ikea system was very efficient that the waiting time was really just because of the line and hindi yung mabagal yung mga tao or yung order.
Everything's ready na in front of you, food all clean and presentable. Complete menu with prices are all plastered above the counters. You will just have to pass through with your trolley and request your orders to the servers.
There are food items that you can get for yourself like the cakes and pastries. Meanwhile for the drinks, the glasses are right next to the cashier so you can pay for them, and then fill them up in the separate drinks counter afterwards. They have coffee and nordic juices all below Php 100!
While in line, I was gushing to my friends how the experience felt as if we're in another country on a travel.
My very first Ikea experience! Singapore in 2012 with Ate:
Finally in 2022 we get to enjoy Ikea anytime we want here in Manila:
The main dining area was already full by the time we're done paying for our food. But at the far corner, a bit of a walk from the drinks counters, there's a space for us who are still trying to adjust back to eating out.
While eating, we also get to appreciate the simple yet functional dining wares of Ikea. Napag usapan tuloy ang Muji cafe and Muji hotel in Japan, which I hope I also get to experience soon!
Aside from the efficient system and service, I was also amazed by their price points. Price starts at around Php 50, and nothing above PHP 300. We ordered a lot para sulit din ang punta and pila, but our total bill is just Php 1500 (including the drinks and desserts).
What we ordered:
Green salad - PHP 55
Plant balls (8 pcs) with mashed potato and broccoli - PHP 159
Swedish meatballs (8 pcs) with mashed potato and broccoli - PHP 159
Baked salmon fillet with broccoli, and lemon and dill sauce - PHP 345
Chicken wings (6 pcs) - PHP 299
Mushroom soup - PHP 45
Steamed rice - PHP 19
Crunchy almond chocolate cake - PHP 89
Carrot cake - PHP 99
Brewed coffee (refillable) - PHP 35
Nordic drink (Elderberry, lemon, pear, raspberry, lingonberry, and cola) refillable - PHP 49
Note: Make sure to clean as you go after eating! There are stations where you can slide your trays before leaving.
The Verdict: My friends said the chicken wings are so-so lang, but super okay daw yung salmon. Meanwhile, I really enjoyed my plant-based balls with steamed rice, mushroom soup, and the free-flowing coffee and juices. Ang linis sa panlasa. For the dessert, I like the chocolate cake which reminds me of Daim chocolate bars.
Will not lineup longer than what we did that day, but yung experience namin was very pleasant which translated to the food experience too. Will definitely be back on a weekday to try out the pastries next, and also hopefully to shop nadin!
The Swedish Restaurant is located at the 4th Level of IKEA Pasay City and is open daily, from 9:30 am to 9 pm. Proof of vaccination is required upon entry.
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