Many years ago we accidentally discovered the Marosan Restaurant in Baguio as part of our Extreme Philippines Tour. Initially we went for food, as you might expect, but it was the service, view and general weirdness that kept us coming back.
What weirdness you ask? Well they have animated figures randomly placed on the roof and now a giant hand viewpoint structure. Why? We do not know, but not only does it work, it actually makes the place more memorable, and the food is decent too.
Table of Contents
The Marosan Story
Marosan Restaurant is a long running roadside restaurant along Asin Road in Baguio that started out as a simple local eatery serving passing traffic and nearby residents heading out toward the hot springs. Like many family run places in the Philippines it did not begin with a grand plan, just food, space and location.
Over time it expanded as more people came through the area. Additional seating was added, then terraces built into the hillside, and eventually the owners began leaning into visual upgrades that turned the place into something far more unusual than your standard roadside restaurant. The rooftop decorations and the now famous giant hand viewpoint are later additions, clearly aimed at making it stand out in a city full of viewpoints and cafés.
It is not a heavily documented or corporate style venue. It is more a slowly evolving family business that turned into part restaurant, part attraction, and part photo stop.
The Facilities
The restaurant is built across multiple levels on a hillside along Asin Road. The main dining area sits at the bottom level, fairly simple and functional, with tightly packed tables and a constant flow of customers during busy hours.
As you move upwards you reach a series of terrace areas that open up views across the Baguio hills. These are more open air and are where most people end up sitting when the weather is good or when they want photos.
At the top you find the main attraction area, including the giant hand viewpoint and various decorative installations scattered around for photos. Access to the viewpoint typically costs around 20 PHP per person.
There is also a small snack and souvenir area selling drinks, chips and basic items. Toilets are on site and basic but usable. Overall the facilities are not polished or designed like a resort, they are functional, slightly chaotic, and built around the hillside rather than engineered into it.
The food and ambience at Marosan Restaurant
The food at Marosan Restaurant is simple to say the least and largely of the local variety. This means lots of rice dishes, as well as some huge soups. They also technically have a western type menu, but I am not sure if it is more theory.
There’s also a functioning bar with a decent list of beers, Smirnoff Mule and Tanduay Rhum by the bottle. Couple this with the great view and it makes the food almost a secondary concern.
Example menu items include:
Pork sinigang – 250 PHP (4.50 USD)
Chicken adobo – 200 PHP (3.60 USD)
Grilled liempo – 280 PHP (5.00 USD)
Bangus (milkfish) – 220 PHP (4.00 USD)
Chopsuey – 200 PHP (3.60 USD)
Pancit canton – 180 PHP (3.20 USD)
Garlic fried rice – 130 PHP (2.30 USD)
Beer (San Miguel) – 100 PHP (1.80 USD)
Tanduay Rhum (bottle) – 400 PHP (7.20 USD)
Smirnoff Mule – 150 PHP (2.70 USD)
Overall though it is also the service that sets this place apart. The Philippines can be slow as hell, but at Marosan not only can they flip tables, they do it with a smile.
Location
Marosan Restaurant
Asin Road, Km 3 area
Baguio City, Benguet
Philippines
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