El Cocinero

El Cocinero

Someone from this business manages this listing.
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+63 916 235 1669+ Add website
Hours
Sun
10:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Mon
10:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Tue
10:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Wed
10:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Thu
10:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Fri
10:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Sat
10:00 AM - 7:00 PM
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What is Travelers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Ratings and reviews
4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles

RATINGS
Food
4.4 of 5 bubbles
Service
4.7 of 5 bubbles
Value
4.5 of 5 bubbles
Details
Someone from this business manages this listing.
Learn More
CUISINES
Seafood, Mediterranean, European, Spanish
Special Diets
Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options
Meals
Lunch, Dinner
features
Is this restaurant good for special occasions?
About
The Best Paella in the Philippines! A chef born in Nasugbu, Batangas but the expertise of mediterranean cuisine was harvested in Ibiza,Spain for more than 10years. Visit us and you will never regret your travel. A heavenly food that you will crave.
CUISINES
Seafood, Mediterranean, European, Spanish
Special Diets
Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options
Meals
Lunch, Dinner
FEATURES
Takeout, Reservations, Seating, Parking Available, Free off-street parking, Wheelchair Accessible, Serves Alcohol, Wine and Beer, Cash Only, Table Service
4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles65 reviews
Excellent
39
Very good
18
Average
3
Poor
4
Terrible
1

Celine A
Metro Manila158 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2022 friends
A must try when you are in Nasugbu, Batangas. I like its rustic ambiance and open air dining. I tried it for dinner and ordered calamares, El Cocinero pizza and salpicao. The pizza was surprisingly good given that it was a Spanish restaurant. It was crispy and light. I wanted to try the paella but it was too big for two persons, perhaps next time. It will be good for them to improve on the signage for better visibility along the highway. They also close early on weekdays, 8pm so best to dinner early.
Written February 27, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

mjlsManila
54 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2023 couples
There is not a lot of choice for a decent dinner or lunch in Nasugbu but this restaurant is worth driving to. Pizza is certainly good and the other Italian dishes are delightful also. They have some nice wines to go with everything. Staff are courteous and efficient. Will certainly revisit.
Written June 30, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

FelixAlaska
North Pole54 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2022 couples
I enjoyed the lasagna, pork Susing and a mixed salad. Finish the off with the flan. It was all very good. Great service also. The refreshment menu is short and no AC but cooled with water coolers. Nice place.
Written April 20, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Miska Tolj-Turkic
Sydney114 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020 couples
We visited Molito restaurant for an early dinner @7pm. We were the only table there. My food choice was not available according to the waiter who had to visit the kitchen twice to ask. Product knowledge "0". I settled for Chicken A la Plancha, basically a sliced chicken breast grilled. Also Arroz, with pork, sausage, chicken (almost a Paella). My partner ordered Lasagne. We asked about juices, as the menu lists watermelon, mango etc. We we told none available. OK soft drink? Only have Coke Lite. There are 4 others listed on the menu. Waiter came back to tell me my fish comes with a salad. OK thanks! Lasagne arrived. We waited 20 mins for my food. Flavourless, bland. My partner only ate 1/3 of the Lasagne which was drowned in a yellow cream. I make better Arroz at home. Seriously guys. Another table of 5 came along. We took pity on them.
Written February 2, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Purplepinay
Luzon399 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2023 couples
I actually DON’T know how the food tastes. We came in on a Sunday, at 12:20, and there were no other customers because they had just finished a wedding. We asked if they were ready to accept customers and they said yes. They got our orders right away…and 45 minutes later, only our soda and a bowl of soup had been served. The rest of the food—rice, grilled beef, callos and pork sisig— was nowhere to he seen. The wait staff followed up our order and 5 minutes later, still no food. We left… and we’re not going back.
Written April 8, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Martin H
Hong Kong1029 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2020 none
There aren't many good restaurants to choose from in Nasugbu town but this is a good choice. Come casually dressed and bring your own wine if you want. The restaurant is reasonably basic but tastefully done. There are no glass windows but they have screens in the windows. The noise from the road can be a bit of a pain on times but interestingly it adds something to local feel of this restaurant. There is a nice selection on the menu and the food is quite tasty so you won't be disappointed. One of the challenges is getting the food to arrive at the same time for the diners on the table so unfortuantely some of you might have to start first. The paella is very good here.
Written March 10, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

BoostEr
Manila211 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2021 none
This is the go to restaurant for paella in Nasugbu town. A local chef with extensive experience abroad including Ibiza. Take out orders to serve in your beach house, or dine in.
Written August 25, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Michelle V
4 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2019 family
We decided to visit this place as it is close to Canyon Cove. The staff were friendly and accommodating. Overall the food was okay. The gambas was tasty as well as the beef salpicao. Pork sisig was also good, however, when we asked for a second order, it was a bit bland as compared to the first serving. Beef nilaga was spicy and not recommended for kids. What we didn't like about this place is their overpriced food. We were all disappointed with the small servings considering the price we had to pay. Most shocking was their ginataang tilapia which costs 245php but was smaller than the size of my palm. Everything was served in small portions. The ambiance is average. The restaurant is not air-conditioned but not too hot. Food is good but I don't think we'd consider going back with the steep price and small servings they have. We could have gone somewhere else with the same quality of food and a bigger serving but for a much lesser price.
Written December 21, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

htmcrp
Luzon99 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2019 friends
We were early for lunch on good Friday. So we used the time to read the story about chef Arnaldo in the menu while the friendly staff kept us hydrated with drinks. The Restaurant is set on a small lot but nicely arranged and open with mosquito screen on all sides that gives if an airy ambiance. Chef Arnaldo himself joined us for a quick chat and when I learned he makes the Pizzas on a charcoal oven my mind was set an I was not disappointed with the thin crust pizza I got. I usually judge how an establishment is kept by visiting the restrooms. At El Cocinero they are clean, working and nicely arranged.
Written April 19, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Mark C
Nasugbu186 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2019 couples
This was our second visit to El Cocinero. The first we tried the squid ink paella - my wife said it was so-so but I don't like squid at all so I won't comment on that visit. Last night we decided to try again, and ordered a selection of tapas to share. As the first tapa was delivered the waiters also delivered a large shaker of salt and a pepper mill, very unusual for the Philippines, I think the first time I've ever seen that. The calamari showed us why - soggy, oily, and totally unseasoned. The tortilla Espanola looked nice and had a nice texture, but had us reaching for the salt. Ditto for the Callos. The best tapa was Championes con Chorizo y Gambas - the chorizo provided some decent flavor but the rest of the dish was bland. It's my feeling that a chef should send to the table dishes that need no further seasoning, that reflect his/her creativity, adaptation of the cuisine and dish, sense of taste. You may not agree but you at least see the chef's vision. This is not the case at El Cocinero. Bring your own seasonings and creativity.
Written March 18, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

mmpaull
Seattle1039 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2019 friends
We tried El Cocinero due to it's #1 ranking in Nasugbu, and though the food was OK, I give it an average ranking at most, 3-stars. Service was good, the Paella nicely presented, but our Tortilla, Gambas and other seafood dishes were typically oily and over-cooked. The repetitive "pop" music was super annoying. They don't take credit cards. Restaurant only has screens for walls, so all the street noise and a smell is present, and obviously, no air-conditioning.
Written March 14, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

945tom
Norwich7 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2019 friends
As restaurants go in the philippines this is different class. As Spanish restaurants go it’s olé. Fabulous food from the tapas to the soup and the paella negros was the best I’ve ever tasted except for in Spain. Even more remarkable is that it’s situated in a small province town where eateries are basically not great. Excellent gastronomic delight.
Written February 2, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Travelwithliz
Singapore1756 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2018 family
Our family of 13 popped in for dinner in this cute little restaurant. The highly recommended seafood paella was average in taste. The pasta was not too bad. We had some grilled chicken which was too dry.
Written December 27, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Jovet M
2 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2018 friends
Thumbs up for their hopitality..Super satisfied for their service though we only surveyed them.. Highly recommended for anyone to hangout here
Written August 19, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

kriz m
3 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2018 family
Food was great and staff were nice specially Nico. Everyone must try the paellas, pizza was awesome too! Can’t wait to come back❤️
Written June 3, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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El Cocinero, Nasugbu - Menu, Prices & Restaurant Reviews - Tripadvisor

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