I often see its commercial while watching Eat Bulaga at home, and I can say Alavars Curacha's worth the try. A super authentic seafood house here in Zamboanga City.

Love the decor of the place, it's so vintage! And the food? Delicious! I really loved the Zamboanga white! And the sauce of the crabs! I couldnt get enough of it! Highly recommended place to dine specially for groups!

Food is fresh and delicious! Ambiance is so homey. Price is worthy of the food quality. But since this restaurant is almost always full, service/manpower is quite insufficient. I had to stand up and get gloves by myself as staffs would entertain your queries but would forget it as customer requests would pile up. The restaurant should add more staff esp during peak hours

Famous Zambo Alavar sauce for your crustaceans!

I don't know if the chef was tired that day, or if we were too early so they haven't heated up the curacha yet, or maybe even because we ordered the largest curacha, but the curacha in alavar sauce left me totally disappointed. The first piece that i got had this uric like smell of not well kept seafood. Eating it was like eating crabs in a dirty mens CR, the smell was awful. The 2nd piece was better but not by much . The texture of the meat was crumbly and some if the meat felt hard and cold (frozen still). They didn't have the XL size so we were forced to order the L ones but those felt too small for me though. Definitely not worth 2,400 pesos for 3 small pieces. Also ordered prawns w/c were honestly just ok. Baked clams were better than ok with the green mango salad w/ salted egg coming out as the best surprisingly delicious food that night. Place was clean and they had a lot of waiters (and OJT's) so attention was easy to get. The place has ample parking and the place is clean. All in all, if you are looking for Curacha then i definitely could NOT recommend the place in good conscience. But for anything else, the place is a good choice.

Alvar is a popular Chavacano restaurant offering mostly seafood cuisine of the zamboanga peninsula. For the appetizer, we went for the staple calamares. From how it tasted, we knew instantly that the squid was fresh and perfectly cooked. The sweet and sour dip goes well with the calamares. For the main dishes, we ordered mud crab, pancit canton, and shrimp. The mud crab was perfection. The crab was fresh and perfectly cooked. It was drizzled in the famous alavar sauce. The sauce, which is sweetened by fresh coconut milk, is in itself a seafood heaven. The shrimp, however, was overcooked. But dipping it in the alavar sauce is a remedy. The service was great and fast.

Food is great. I like how fresh tasting their seafoods are, especially the giant crab with their signature Alavar Sauce. Zamboanga White drink is also a must try.

This place is a must-visit dining spot while visiting Zamboanga City, especially for seafood enthusiasts looking to savor the delectable flavors of their renowned Alavar Sauce. While the food quality is exceptional, the bustling crowd of diners is a testament to its popularity and the place to be for a memorable culinary experience.

Great food! The crabs and shrimps were delicious. The interior decor was wonderful. The servers were very knowledgeable and prompt. A must-not-miss experience when visiting Zamboanga.

The food is great but service can still improve

Its my first time in Zamboanga and all folks tell me to try the curacha with alavar sauce and the seafood platter which this restaurant is known for. And true enough the Extra Large Curachas which were halved for group serving didn't disappoint. All the food we ordered including the barbecue grill platter and soup tasted really good! The alavar sauce is a mix of crab fat and coconut milk so it was so creamy delicious! The only thing not good is the waiting time which took more than an hour and the waiters were not attentive to our requests.

Found the curacha over rated. Besides the alavar sauce, food tasted ordinary. Not in the pictures but got their pinakbet chavakano too. It was ok. Psa: don't wear a white shirt hahs

Before you go there, be sure to secure a reservation for the airconditioned rooms. We went there at lunch time and we were seated at the open area at the back; and it was ridiculuously hot! Serving time took more than an hour so you'll have to allot a considerable amount of time for dining here. Total expenses averaged at P500 per person. See menu in photos. Crabs tasted GREAT by the way.

Service was disappointing. Took too long for waiters to get what we asked for.

unforgettable.

Service was lackluster. The lady that got our orders was not helpful in explaining dishes, specialties, etc. Each time we would ask about a particular dish, the standard reply was "wala". But after browsing through the menu, I found the dish that I was looking for listed under Other Specialties. I called her to point it out and her reply this time was "not available po". I told her she should make it clear next time whether a dish is wala / not carried by the restaurant or wala / not available. Then I noticed that she was dressed differently than the rest of the servers, I asked her if she was the manager and she said she was not. It was only after then that her tone of voice and stance changed. Not a very good experience compared to what is much touted to be a must visit restaurant in Zamboanga. I think one can get a much better service and dining experience elsewhere. What a disappointment 👎

Very disappointed the famous curacha is small and thin no meat to extract

Service is good, but it's super humid here; the dining area at the back has no ceiling. The alavar sauce is extremely delicious, but the shrimp tasted old (smelled like gas; it might not have been cleaned well). Serving sizes are small. They also sell 250g alavar sauce priced at Php 170; that's Php 30 more expensive than SM's retail price.

Place is good. Foods are good and affordable.

Nice ambiance. Good food. Excellent service. You can find the famous curacha of zamboanga city infused in the authentic alavar sauce only here at alavar restaurant.

Great food. love the sauce

Alavar sauce never fails

Delicious. Great

Delicious food at the right price, venue is homey

You’ve never been to Zamboanga if you did not eat at Alavar seafoods restaurant. You should call for your reservation and orders ahead by phone. It takes a while to cook their menu. The food is superb and where else can you eat curacha with their own original sauce. And you can pass by their counter and buy their bagon gata, other delicacies and of course their Alavar sauce. Bien sabroso😊

Good food and good service with friendly personnel.

Very quaint ambiance. You get a throwback feeling to the '70s/'80s. Service also good. Flavors are spot on. But the grilled tuna jaw, and camaron with Alavar sauce, both were over cooked. Ceviche (kilawin) was also a bit too long in the vinegar. This is my second time here. The first time, food was all properly cooked. I do highly recommend the Alavar sauce tho. Seems to be a nearly universal sausce. I imagine it would be excellent from vegatables to seafoods.

We celebrated our birthday in one of their function rooms good for 15 persons. We ordered their seafood cake with java rice at the bottom and seafoods on top. After we blew the candles we served the seafood cake. The java rice was enough for the 15 guests. Very good experience and nice service.

Must eat at this resto.. Very delicious food

Alavar seafood is ok but literally expensive when ordering seafoods. Since we wanted to try curacha, we ordered a Php1,500 worth of it. Taste like a regular crab with a twist. Place over all is ok except for the 30mins additional 1 platter of rice that we ordered. Then I ordered hot kalamansi and they gave me a cold one with us. I felt that the crews are already tired. Must have been a busy day.

We chose to eat here on our first day of our visit to Zamboanga city to make sure we have lots of opportunities to enjoy our dining experience. We arrived on non-peak hours (almost 2pm). We ordered an appetizer fish and chips, curacha in alavar sauce, grilled triggerfish (not really our order but there was some confusion in translation); and the signature #alavarshake which is really #santolshake. The meal arrived in 30 minutes. The dining area has a homey-feel and is an open area with the sound of water fountain as your background. Our meal cost P3K+ for 3 people. You can pay via cash or credit card. We only commuted to get here via trike which cost us P100 per way. Locals said that the trike cost was a little bit on the expensive side. Our hotel is Ever O Hotel.

A childhood favourite. I'm glad they maintained the quality of their food and service. Would always come back 100% whenever I visit my hometown.

This place is beautiful. I love how they showcase the culture of the city as well as the people here. With the food, it's Alavar. The known seafood restaurant in Zamboanga City. It is a great dinner. Satisfying crabs (of course the Alavar sauce), prawn, grilled fish, calamari, as well as the Kinilaw. Yum as we say! We left full and satisfied. Zamboangeneos know it already. If your not from Zamboanga then try to visit and try Alavar.

Great food experience in Zamboanga. Delicious crab delicacy. The waiting time is very long tho. The staff here are accommodating but most of the time they cannot cater well due to high volume of customers specially peak hours. They also serve fish, chicken and pork in their menu.

Good food, quality depends on the season, spanner crabs were light, as opposed to the mud crabs, they were satisfying. Clams were good, so as the soup. staff are accommodating, we'll visit again soon.

Beyond the extraordinary cuisine, Alavar Restaurant provides a warm and inviting atmosphere that reflects the unique spirit of Zamboanga. The friendly staff, the vibrant decor, and the seamless blend of tradition and modernity create an ambiance that is both welcoming and enchanting.

Delicious food, good ambiance. However, it was quite expensive. And the service will take too long maybe because its peak hours .

Food great. It gives us new level of taste in seafood. Service is good too. The servers are friendly and gives us a good dining experience

My favorite place to get a sumptuous fine dining that's not too pricey. I so love Alavar!

(Translated by Google) It's delicious (Original) Sarap

Simply Delicious!

(Translated by Google) sarap (Original) sarap

I just love the dishes they serve here!!! It serves our local cuisine, very Zamboangeño

Looking for fresh seafood delicacies... This is the right and perfect to visit only a few minutes drive from the City Proper and along the road with parking space.. Come and savour the sumptuous seafood specialty of the place which is known as a original alavar sauce..

Wow!! The food was delicious!! Very good service, very nice ambiance (old Filipino house) and the food was amazing!! You have to know that the order will take 30 to 40 minutes to be Cooked (they inform you) and when you get it you know why! It's really fresh product and well cooked. Of course the alavar sauce is really good. It was perfect and you will like it, of course if you like seafood and fish :) anyway, even the pork was delicious!!!

Food was great. Their crab and shrimp were deliciously prepared with their famous alavar sauce

060419 - When in Zamboanga, Philippines... A MUST eat is in Alavar Seafood Restaurant and have their famous sauce best with Curacha (Deep Sea Crabs). They say you have not gone to Zamboanga if you have not tasted Curacha with Alavar Sauce. There is only one restaurant in the province and the ambiance of the place is cozy and homey with a touch of Filipino traditional house, the capiz windows. The business was first a carenderia named “Alavar’s Travelers Inn” in Vitali, a barangay in Zamboanga and in 1973 the Alavar couple-Nor Miguel “Jun” Alavar, Jr. and his wife transferred to the city and expanded the business.

The curacha was great. The place was cozy and conducive to eat. Their suggested drink was refreshing.

(Translated by Google) No matter how expensive it is, it is not yet delicious (Original) Walang kwenta sobrang mahal hndi pa masarap

Good food.. And very homy ambience

Our friend from Zamboanga recommended this resto for us (non-locals), saying it is one of the best seafood resto in the Philippines. Well, in mind, to taste is to believe 😅 Waited for like 20mins, and saw these little grilled creatures coming in a plate, highlighted by these golden-orange big crabs & curacha 🤩🤩 (excitiiing) And the moment of truth just started. And it was... it was... PERFECT! The soup, the grilled tuna, the shrimps, the shake, and the SAUCE? My goodness! The sauce has distinct taste which added a special twist to the crabs and the famous Curacha. Our colleague even said he’ll bring the left-over sauce and reuse it at home. 5/5 no doubt. “Lami jud sya, maka-CURACHA sa kalami.”

4 because of the unpleasant taste of Pinakbet. It didn't taste fresh. Overall, satisfied.

Super worth it. I used to go to the QC branch but I don’t remember the food being as good as the food served here.

Tetuan Practice more

All is well

😀

Nice place

Disappointing food compared to their early years Zamboanga.

Love McDonald's!

Seafood Galore!

Foods were amazing especially the crabs and curacha. Must-go place for tourists

A bit pricey for the taste. Expected a better experience. The waiters are not attentive. Even cancelled our orders without us knowing. Bad experiebce

We went there weekend. Full of costumers, then I learn why. The foods are deliciously prepared with a cozy sorroundings.

Great food. Nice ambience!

Good facilities with friendly staff! Five stars all around.

It was good food for the price but the food took almost an hour. 15 mins longer than the promised time. The sad thing however, was the crab in our platter was cooked too long that it dried out.

Authentic

Delicious seafood! 😍😍 — but you gotta book ahead so you save up time waiting for your orders :)

Once you’re in Zamboanga City, your visit will not be complete if you hadn’t tried the “kuracha” signature dish of this restaurant

The cream puffs offered in the banquet were hard, not really the texture you'd look for in a cream puff. The fish fillet in sweet & sour sauce was decent enough.

Love it here. The best in Zamboanga

Good food

Awesome Place!

The best food ever!

Best sea food ever