Mama Fina’s closes East Village spot. It’s back to Hackensack, N.J. for Sisig lovers
By Angelito Cabigao
Mama Fina’s, which prides itself the House of Filipino Sisig, has closed on November 30 in the East Village. While its New York location has ceased operations, the restaurant will remain open in Hackensack, New Jersey where it all began.
The New York Times captured it best when they titled their piece on Mama Fina’s NYC, “A Filipino Specialty Best Paired With a Brew in the East Village.” For eight years, Mama Fina’s served its legendary sizzling sisig—perfectly matched with an ice-cold Red Horse—to locals and visitors of Manhattan.
Their East Village spot became more than just a restaurant; it became a community hub. Besides their loyal customer base, these familiar faces stopped by for a comforting plate of Filipino food. Among them:
- Kelsey Merritt, Victoria’s Secret model
- Jo Koy, Netflix Comedian
- Edu Manzano, Filipino actor and host
- Tim Yap, Filipino Socialite
- Cherie Gil, the late iconic veteran
- Margarita Forés, the late beloved Filipino chef
- Jericho Rosales, Filipino actor
Additionally, Mama Fina’s hosted everything from Project Barkada meetings, MabuhayHR mixers, Penbrothers x Kulture Ko tech events, Bernie’s “Filipinos Against FOP” awareness effort, and even kamayan feasts for companies and college groups of friends.
Mama Fina’s wasn’t just serving our Filipino food—it was representing Filipino culture in the most iconic city in the world. So when Mama Fina’s Manhattan served its final plate and said farewell to the East Village in November 2025, it felt like the end of an era.
But the good news?
Mama Fina’s is still very much alive in the place where it all began—New Jersey.
Just minutes from Manhattan, their Hackensack location offers everything people loved in New York: sit-down dining, take-out, delivery, catering, and space reservations for events. But there’s an extra perk that brings Filipino nostalgia to life: you can enjoy your sizzling sisig and do your Filipino grocery shopping in one place. Mama Fina’s even added a small aisle of Filipino essentials — turning the restaurant into a true one-stop shop.
And while you might not find a Red Horse behind the counter, you will find something new—Mama Fina’s signature coffee drinks, smoothies, and bubble teas from their own coffee bar. Even better, they’re now open seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. No more Tuesday closures.
As much as I loved the New York City location, there’s something nostalgic—almost comforting—about Mama Fina’s New Jersey home. It feels like reconnecting with the origin story, and every visit brings back the warmth, the community, and the flavors that made New Yorkers fall in love with Mama Fina’s in the first place. See you in Hackensack.
