Mekeni Pinoy’s Prideis located in Los Angeles County, California in Artesia, to be exact.

And its breakfast and dinner buffet attractsfamously long linesevery week.

I wanted to try the dinner buffet.

Screenshot of a food-themed social media page featuring various posts about Filipino cuisine, including videos and images of buffets and traditional dishes

(That, and I hate driving in LA.)

First and foremost, the restaurant is much more spacious than it looks from the outside.

With fairly high ceilings, tied white curtains, and modern chandeliers, Mekeni had a very chic vibe.

Eater Los Angeles article headline: "Hundreds Line Up Weekly for a Taste of This Astounding Filipino Buffet in Artesia." Subheadline: "Mekeni Pinoy’s Pride brings in over 200 people for its twice-a-week Filipino food buffet."

In the meantime, my dad and I were served a Mekeni specialty made in-house: lemongrass juice.

Shortly after I fell in love with the lemongrass juice, it was time to eat!

There were 17 savory food items to choose from, along with a small selection of desserts.

Close-up of a buffet table filled with various dishes including pasta, rice, vegetables, and other entrees in stainless steel serving trays

I honestly could never tire of lumpia.

First of all, look at her:

LOOK.

But don’t think I forgot about my lemongrass juice!

Exterior view of Mekeni Pinoy's Pride restaurant. The building has tall glass windows with curtains and a sign above the entrance

I was sipping on that the whole time.

Speaking of sips, unlimited drinks are included in the buffet price.

Near the dessert table, there were dispensers for water and homemade lemonade.

A man in a blue polo shirt at a restaurant holding a fork and napkin, seated in front of a white plate filled with various foods

Mekeni also offered us beer and wine, but I went ahead and tried the lemonade.

(If you haven’t noticed by now, Filipino food incorporatesa lotof pork.)

For round two, I tried the famous Mekeni beef kare-kare and got more lumpia and chicken skin.

A restaurant with elegant light fixtures and large windows. Below, a mural depicts a diverse group of people enjoying a meal together with various dishes

Traditionally, it’s made with oxtail, but beef works just fine (and is cheaper).

Together with rice, kare-kare makes for an incredibly filling and satisfying dish.

Oh, and did I mention that kare-kare takes about three to four hours to make?

Two photos of a dining table displaying a carafe and two glasses filled with iced tea, a removed folded napkin, and part of a person's arm

It can also be mixed in with bananas, tapioca pearls, and sometimes sweet potatoes.

or crack an inside joke.

A buffet table with various dishes including spaghetti, rice, fried rice, vegetables, shrimp, and salads. People are serving themselves in the background

Tray of cooked lobsters topped with a creamy sauce and garnished with sliced green onions

People serving and arranging a variety of dishes at a buffet with multiple food trays filled with assorted foods and sauces

A dish of picadillo made with ground pork, bell peppers, and quail eggs, and a tray of pork eggrolls (lumpia) on lettuce leaves

A buffet of sliced raw beef with green onions and cooked beef in separate trays is displayed. There is also a container labeled "chicken skin."

A display of Lechon Roll, a Filipino roasted pork dish, on a wooden cutting board. A sharp knife and scissors are placed beside it for serving

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A large, silver tray filled with spaghetti covered in tomato sauce and sprinkled with grated cheese, with serving tongs on the side

A fork holding a bite of spaghetti with hot dogs s and a white plate with various foods in the background

Three images of a woman eating spaghetti, shown in a sequence as she takes a bite, chews, and swallows

Close-up images of different Filipino dishes including picadillo, BBQ short rib, and igado (pork and liver stew-like dish)

Three close-up images of a person holding and eating a fried spring roll with pork and carrots, dipped in red sauce. The top image has the text "omg," and the bottom image has the text "pork and carrots."

Plate of crispy roasted pork, rice, and dipping sauce

A person holds a piece of roasted pig, showing its juicy and tender texture with a crispy, charred skin

Three-panel image of a woman eating a pastry, showing expressions of excitement, amazement, and delight with the words "excited," "omg," and "woww" above her respectively

Hand holding a plastic cup of cloudy apple cider in front of a window. Another glass with a similar drink is seen on the table

A large stainless steel pot is filled with deep-fried mushrooms, with serving tongs resting on the side. Bowls of dipping sauces and condiments are next to it

Man in blue polo shirt eating food at a restaurant in a three-panel sequence, savoring each bite. Large green plants in the background

Buffet tray filled with a dish labeled "Kare Kare" featuring vegetables, eggplant, and a yellow sauce with a serving utensil. Bowl of dark shredded meat nearby

Plate of white rice with spring rolls, chicken strips, and a container of yellow curry with green beans and vegetables

A plate of white rice topped with eggplant and a piece of meat, accompanied by a green pepper and a portion of fried food

A fork is picking up a piece of braised meat over a plate of white rice with a rich, brown sauce

A close-up of a spoonful of rice, green beans, and meat with a plate of rice, fried chicken, and a spring roll in the background

A variety of served food including a large bowl of ginataan, with surrounding bowls of strawberries, mango slices, and kumquats on a buffet table

A large bowl of rice pudding with a serving spoon next to a bowl of fresh oranges. A pink label reads "Banana Pudding."

Close-up of spoonfuls of creamy dessert with jackfruit pieces in a cup, with an arrow pointing to a piece of jackfruit

Restaurant wall with a sign summarizing Mama Peng's cooking philosophy and mission, titled "Ing Kwentu Mi (Our Story)." Empty chairs and a table are visible below

A group of restaurant staff, including Chef Jai, stand behind a counter with various dishes on display, ready to serve a buffet-style meal