Review: Taft’s Exile on Main St.

If you are craving for some cheap, yet flavorful chicken wings in Taft, we got you fam! 

Introducing, Exile on Main St. 

This place isn’t too easy to find but DLSU and DLS-CSB students are frequent diners of this place. They go here to drink a few beers, chat with friends, and munch on their mouth-watering chicken wings! 

Exile on Main St. is amazing. It has artsy interiors which attracts people to visit this place. It also has a smoking area. 

Food, Price, and Recommendations 

As it was named after an album of English rock band, The Rolling Stones, the menu of Exile on Main St. divided its dishes into concert-related terms such as Front Acts (For appetizers), Headliners (For main dishes), Second Set (For other meals), Encores (For Dessert), Groupies (For side-dishes), Pick-me ups (Non-Alcoholic drinks), and Brewskies (Beers). 

The Eatventurers are frequent-goers of Exile on Main St., in fact it is one of our favorites in Taft. 

As we have mentioned earlier, we highly recommend their chicken wings. 

Exile on Main St. used to only offer two flavors: China - Wings in savory soy sauce and honey coating with a spicy finish, and sprinkled with toasted sesame seeds and TEXAS - Wings coated in thick, slow-cooked, tomato-based barbecue sauce. 

Now, they added other flavors such as JAVA - Wings in creamy satay or peanut sauce with a hint of sweetness and topped with roasted ground peanuts and PINOY BBQ – Wings in sweet Filipino barbecue sauce, “with secret something that Lola would rarely reveal to anyone.” 

They offer 6 pieces chicken wings with rice which they call Frequent Flyer Wings (P130). We however recommend ordering the Stopover Chicks (P215) so you can taste two flavours. Six pieces of chicken wings is so “bitin” for first-timers. We recommend the BBQ flavors: Texas and Pinoy BBQ. 

You can order additional rice for P15. 

Exile on Main St. is also offering chicken thighs for people who don’t like bones with their chicken but we do not recommend it. There’s nothing like feeling the bones of your chicken. 

For pork lovers, they also offer liempo they call “Baboy O’ Riley” (P135). We didn’t like it that much because when we ordered, the skin wasn’t crispy and the taste was disappointing. 

The Eatventurers also ordered Monggo Tinapa Mo! This is not a bad word, but a great dish. 

For only P100, you get to enjoy monggo with rice. It has bits of tinapa (smoked fish) which makes it wonderful. It is also perfect for a cold weather. 

For mushroom lovers, they offer 4’Shroom Pie (P120). 

Four mushrooms fill the pie: Enoki, Button, Shitake, and Oyster Mushrooms. The crust was nice but the filling wasn’t too special. It is still a great dish though. 

We have yet to try their pastas and desserts but we’ve heard these are must-tries as well. 

From the Front Act menu, we ordered Gimme Shitake (P135) and Grunge Nachos (P175). 

Gimme Shitake’s comprised of meaty strips of shitake mushrooms paired with garlic mayo dip. 

On the other hand, Grunge Nachos is your usual nachos with corn chips served with Torn and Frayed pulled-prok sauce as well as special salsa made of diced green mangoes and apples. We loved the salsa better that we ordered another. 

We also love this place as servers are prompt in taking orders and are always giving us the pitcher of house water without us even asking for it. 

Exile on Main St. is truly a good place for hang-out – it’s art, music, and good food rolled in one. They also have another branch in Katipunan but for us, it is one of Taft’s best kept “not-so-secret.”

Overall Eatventurers' rating: 5/5

Exile on Main St.

Unit 2, 2428 Leon Guinto St. Malate, Manila 

Operating hours: 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.

Contact Nos.: +639162205097 and +639178720767 

E-mail: exileonmainstreetrestaurant@gmail.com 

Facebook: Exile on Main St. Restaurant

Instagram: Exile on Main St.

***Disclosure: Not sponsored. Meals were paid by The Eatventurers

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