Got the Drunchies? These Are Manila’s Best Late-Night Food Spots

Drunchies
[druhn-cheez]
Noun
Definition: a combination of the words “drunk” and “munchies.” A phenomenon in which a person, after a night of heavy drinking, suddenly develops an overwhelming craving for greasy, indulgent, and gloriously unhealthy food. Sample: The drunchies hit at 2 a.m.

We’ve all been there. A night out is great, but what makes it even better is food—glorious food! And sometimes, as much as we love it, the late-night McDonald’s run isn’t always what we’re craving. To help you satisfy the drunchies, we’ve rounded up six food spots worth staying up for. Consider tomorrow’s workout part of the bill.

Goto Monster

Goto Monster serves the kind of hearty meal your body craves after a night of partying, helping replenish those much-needed carbs through indulgent takes on the traditional rice porridge dish. “Restorative FilipinoFilipinoThe national language of the Philippines, widely used for communication, education, media, and culture.Go to Filipino Glossary comfort food” is the only way to describe it. And the best part? They’re not only affordable, but open until 3 a.m.

So when you’re ready to leave the bar but aren’t quite ready to call it a night, book a Grab to Comuna in Makati and dig into everything they have to offer. And as the name suggests, their best-selling bowls of goto are non-negotiable. We recommend the Pork Bagnet, the Beef Tripe, or if you’re feeling particularly sinful, the Chicharon Bulaklak variant topped with that iconic Pinoy bar chow. Your liver may not thank you, but your stomach certainly will.

Nolita Joe’s

You may be in Manila, but our food scene is decidedly global. If you’re looking for a slice of excellent New York-style pizza at any hour of the day, consider Nolita Joe’s in Poblacion, a charming sports bar complete with craft beer and a display counter lined with freshly baked pizzas, ready for you to point at, order a slice, and devour at its bar-style seating.

Delectable flavors like the saucy Pepperoni alla Vodka (slathered in the ever-trendy vodka sauce) and the Hawaiian (go ahead, sue us, but we’re firmly Team Pineapple) are best paired with a refreshing mug of beer from local brewery Joe’s Brew and whatever game happens to be on the screens.

Super Uncle Claypot

After the Michelin Guide proclaimed Super Uncle Claypot worthy of a stop in Poblacion, the lines have been crazy. Frankly, we totally understand why. It’s worth queuing for its crazy-delicious claypot rice bowls, which feature a combination of fluffy steamed rice, crispy burnt rice at the bottom, succulently tender meat, and a soy sauce (poured tableside, no less!) you’ll be thinking about long after you’ve left. While we love all its claypot combinations, nothing quite tops the Spareribs Rice, paired with an additional order of Chinese sausage.

Luckily, you can avoid the lines by visiting late at night, since Super Uncle Claypot stays open until 2 a.m. on weekends, allowing you to indulge in classic Cantonese cuisine in the wee hours of the morning. Bonus points for its vibey retro interiors that look like they’re straight out of a Wong-Kar Wai film.

Scratch Smash Burgers

Nothing in the world cures the drunchies quite like a greasy smash burger. It’s got everything you need: carbs, protein, and then some. Right now, we’re loving Scratch Smash Burgers and its classic smash burger, stacked with a double patty of flavorful beef, melted cheddar cheese, caramelized onions, pickles for a kick of acidity, and house-made Scratch sauce, all sandwiched between a fluffy potato bun. It’s heaven, even when you’re sober!

Fortunately, all three Scratch branches are open late, giving you options depending on which side of the city your night takes you. The Poblacion branch stays open until 3 a.m. on weekends, the BGC branch until 1 a.m., and if you’re partying up north, the Eastwood branch is open until midnight.

Yum Yum BBQ

Korean barbecue has been famous in the Philippines for decades, so we’re not worried if you need to find one nearby that’s open late. For this drunchies list, however, we wanted to recommend something a little different. Have you heard of Chinese barbecue? Well, you should, because it’s pretty awesome—and YUMYUM BBQ makes for an excellent introduction.

The concept is similar to Korean barbecue, but with a fun twist: you order from the menu, they bring you a bunch of raw meats alongside their delicious side dishes, then you cook everything yourself on a grill positioned at the center of the table. The grill slowly rotates your skewers rotisserie-style, cooking them evenly while you sit back and relax. Once your choice of beef, lamb, or pork reaches your desired doneness, simply take it off the heat, enjoy it with a bowl of steamed white rice and their generous selection of flavored dipping powders, and begin the road to sobriety.

Patience is a virtue—but it’s a lot easier to practice when the reward is perfectly grilled meat. Who would have thought you could enjoy a Chinese barbecue feast in Makati until 3 a.m.?

Uncle Moe’s Shawarma Hub

Millennials the city over will remember a time when the only option for a late-night feast was the City Golf Plaza branch of Uncle Moe’s Shawarma Hub. Luckily, the F&B scene has grown tremendously over the years, providing night owls with more options than ever. But that doesn’t mean that Uncle Moe’s has lost its place as one of the city’s ultimate post-drinking pit stops. It stays open until 3 a.m. and if you don’t want to make the trek north, you’re in luck—the brand has expanded across the metro with numerous branches (although closing times vary, so we suggest doing a quick Google search before embarking on your drunken odyssey).

So what should you order? Honestly, everything kind of rocks. Its flavorful Middle Eastern and Persian comfort food helped make it one of the Philippines’ OG destinations for the cuisine. Regulars swear by the spice-filled Kofta Balls, the kebab platters, or, if you’re keeping things simple yet delicious, the juicy All-Beef Shawarma smothered in their famous garlic sauce never disappoints.

A version of this story appears in the September 2026 issue with the title “Got the Drunchies?”