J & A Oriental Food Mart

Hole in a wall filipino food in chicago. Visiting from the bay and we know our filipino food and this place just had one of the best food ive tasted. Its a point point joint and servings are huge

Very small Filipino mart.
Usually when I shop for Asian staples, I head to bigger stores that sell all types of Asian fare. Here at J&A, it’s Filipino all the time. Most, if not all of the items, are Filipino brand – vinegars, fish sauce, soy sauce, dry spice packets (to make Sinigang, etc) snacks, and every item you’ll need to make halo halo (win!). I saw some fresh produce, but not very many items to make it worth the money.
J&A also sells hot food, Turo-​Turo style, but maybe half of what you’d see at Ruby’s or other Filipino stores. The day I visited they had 4 dishes available to order to go.
I was there for the BBQ sticks. Every Filipino knows what I’m talking about when I say BBQ sticks. For the uninitiated, it’s pieces of marinated pork, skewered on sticks and grilled to perfection. Pork BBQ like this always evokes fun summer memories. It’s sticky, sweet, salty and has the perfect off-​the-​grill flavor. J&A’s BBQ sticks does not disappoint. There were some fatty peices, but otherwise very flavorful and worth the visit. The only thing to note is that the BBQ is freshly made, but wasn’t very hot, so expect to re-​heat when you get to your destination.
I also brought home a small container of chicken caldereta – a chicken stewed with tomatoes, potatoes, red peppers and peas. It was really good and rivals my mom’s cooking, not heavy on salt either which sometimes befalls restaurant Filipino food.
Friendly service; they have a catering menu too.

First time here today! I’ve been living in this area for 7 years and didn’t know this was here! Now that I’m moving to the far suburbs this summer, I’m only going to get to experience this place for a short time. I picked up bbq sticks and palabok today and it was yummy.

Their BBQ pork skewers are amazing — perfectly grilled to perfection, juicy, perfectly seasoned, meaty, and awesomely conveniently on a stick, it’s great just to eat it right away, or eat it within the next couple of days as your leftovers to snack on. Each stick is $ 1, so it’s a little pricey, and they don’t give you discounts if you buy in bulk — however, it’s great to get their kabobs catered for an event. Make sure you request the non-​fatty ones, as their quality of the meat can sometimes be inconsistent. Stick with the pork kabobs!
+pork skewers: D

Purchased from this mart for 20 years! Love the lumpia’s! Theyre the best in town!!! Everything is terrific here; definitely a gem in the neighborhood!

Best sisig in the whole of Chicagoland! I’m surprised this has not been mentioned in any of the previous reviews. Whenever I bring their sisig to any party or gathering, all I get are praises and raves. I am tempted to tell people I made the sisig myself, but I’d rather get the word out and let everyone know that one of the best sisig in America is here in Chicago. The one bad thing about the sisig though is that you can only purchase it in a big party tray and you have to call in advance to place an order. Although they sometimes sell half orders of the party tray if you request for it. And a very important thing to remember, they sell their sisig cold. So heat before serving!
Definitely the place to go to for awesome home cooked Filipino food. They also have some Asian grocery items but are very limited.
I would give them 5 stars for the quality of their food but I just have to take away 1 star because of their not so friendly customer service when taking orders over the phone. All the times I have called in an order, the person on the other line is always curt with her responses almost to a point of sounding rude.
It’s street parking and if you’re lucky you can get a spot right in front of the store. If not, there’s almost always space on the east side of the block. Their store may not be in the most «strategic» side of town but their food is definitely worth the trek!

If you’re in the neighborhood, don’t feel like cooking, and want deliciously cooked Filipino food then this is the place for you. It’s a small grocery store with a back section that has an opening where you can order/​pick up food. Some of their bests are the BBQ, menudo, and sisig. I grew up with having our parties food catered by them as well as occasionally ordering their smaller portions when no one in the house has cooked. You need to come early though otherwise the choices will be minimal. They give good sized portions at a reasonable price.

Located very far away from where Filipinos normally reside and shop, J&A is a tiny, nondescript store that happens to sell the best Filipino barbecue on a stick. For those familiar with this type of barbecue, J&A’s version is made of pork, without sauce, and comes in 4 nice big chunks on wooden skewers. It goes great over white rice and is best complemented with a side of apple cider vinegar or atchara (pickled papaya, which I think they stopped selling).
I’ve been ordering from here for years and I’ve seen the that meat portions are growing smaller and more expensive. However, I keep coming back because for me, I’ve been raised on their barbecue, the barbecue is great for parties and guests and it lasts a long time as leftovers.
J&A also sells other types of warm Filipino food although you should call ahead to ask what they have and if they have enough. This includes the barbecue, for which, I also suggest you call ahead a few days in advance to place an order for pickup. They tend to run out of barbecue when it is offered as a daily item.
In addition, J&A sells some standard Filipino food store wares such as white rice, air fresheners, snacks, rice flour, and calling cards.