Matias BBQ: A Barbecue Institution in Metro Cebu (They Have Good Chicken Barbecue, Balbacua, and Fruit Shakes!)

This article is part of my Cebu Food Trip 2023 series. Check out the installments so far: Abaca Baking Company (Bakery and Brunch) | House of Lechon | Johnna’s Liempo Haus (Balamban Liempo or Pork Belly) Plus Balamban Food Park | Parr’t Ebelle Tinola (Seafood) | Red Lizard (Mexican Food)

Back in 2020, I wrote about that Cebuanos’ love for barbecue (read it here). Unlike in Manila where most barbecue vendors pop-up in the afternoon, Cebu has restaurants and roadside stalls dedicated to grilled food. The locals come to have a meal, pairing their barbecue with rice or puso (hanging rice).

To my foreign readers, don’t expect something like American barbecue. A Filipino barbecue is any protein (chicken, pork, seafood, and even innards) usually marinated, skewered, and grilled over charcoal and basted with the marinade or banana catsup (yes, we have that in the Philippines). The marinade ingredients vary per recipe or region. But I think the most basic ones are soy sauce and calamansi (Philippine lime), making it distinctly Filipino. Many recipes include sugar or honey for sweetness, and/or sili labuyo (the most common Philippine chilli) for a kick of spice. Some even add lemon-lime soda or pineapple juice as tenderizer. Anyway…

So in our recent trip to Cebu, we made sure to have barbecue. And what better place to eat barbecue than in Matias BBQ?

Matias is a barbecue institution in Mandaue City, which is beside Cebu City. I love its vibe, being an open-air barbecue joint in a residential space beside a parking lot, with a huge tree providing shade.

I’ve been to Matias back in 2019 and had a pleasant visit. But because Mark Wiens featured it in his recent Cebu series, I decided to go back and wasn’t disappointed!

The barbecue, overall, is still delicious. All the items are rightly charred and smoky. Then they are a bit smothered with a ketchup-based sauce, which gives some sweetness.

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My favorite is the chicken barbecue (paa or leg part), which is moist and tender. We also got atay or chicken liver (creamy), chicken heart (bouncy and chewy), and chorizo (sweet), which are all delicious!

Left to Right: Chicken Skin (PHP25), Chorizo (PHP16), Heart (PHP25), *Atay* (PHP40), and Paa (PHP120)

The only letdown is the liempo or pork belly. It’s on the dry side. (By the way, we’ve found the best grilled liempo. Check it out here.)

Matias is also known for its Balbacua, a stew made with ox skin and is popular in Visayas and Mindanao (central and southern regions of the Philippines, respectively). Their version can run out by lunchtime.

Honestly, I have low expectations for the Balbacua, as I’m not a fan of ox skin. But to my surprise, it’s not that bad. Matias’ version has melt-in-the-mouth ox skin and a tasty broth, with turmeric as the prominent flavor and coloring.

The last savory item we tried is the Dugo-Dugo (literally “blood-blood”). I thought that it was the usual coagulated chicken blood that’s skewered and grilled.

It turns out that its more like a dinuguan (pig blood stew) that’s made with ground pork instead of the usual pieces of pork or pig innards. It’s delicious!

Finally, don’t leave Matias without trying their fruit shakes. I got the mango shake and it’s rightly sweet and very refreshing.

I’m not big on shakes, as I prefer softdrinks when I’m not acidic. But I like their mango shake so much that I even finished it quickly.

Matias BBQ must be included in every Cebu City eatinerary. They have great barbecued food and a nice vibe. I highly recommend it to you!

What dish above have you tried or would like to try? What barbecue spot in Cebu should I try next? Comment below!

Address: A.S. Fortuna St., Banilad, Mandaue City, Cebu, Philippines | Operating Hours: Daily, 11:30AM-8PM