Celebrated Silver Lake Filipino Restaurant Ma’am Sir Has Closed

When it opened in mid 2018, Ma’am Sir was a triumphant return for Charles Olalia, who wanted to cook his version of Filipino food in a prime Silver Lake space. It drew acclaim from Times critic Bill Addison for its masterful, brilliant cooking in a colorful dining room. Today, Olalia announced that Ma’am Sir would close permanently, marking the end of one of LA’s most promising Filipino restaurants.

“Thank you to all. It was a pleasure to have welcomed you once upon a time. There will come a time when I can welcome you again. There will come a time when I can celebrate your birthdays with you. There will come a time I will meet your babies again. As generic as it sounds, I may have closed this chapter, but I gained family in you all,” wrote Olalia, who had opened Rice Bar in Downtown after leaving his position as executive chef of fine dining restaurant Patina (which also closed unceremoniously last month).

Ma’am Sir made a valiant effort to survive the pandemic with Filipino baon, or what the restaurant called bento boxes, but without ample outdoor areas for seating, the restaurant just couldn’t make it work. Now, one of LA’s most celebrated Filipino restaurants, and an Eater Essential 38 spot, will be gone forever. Ma’am Sir’s space was briefly Bar Angeles before it switched over to serving Filipino pica-pica, or shared plates.

Modern Filipino restaurants surged in the past few years, with places like Petite Peso, Spoon & Pork, Big Boi, Kuya Lord, Oi Asian Fusion, and Lasa adding to the conversation, but the closure of Ma’am Sir is a big blow for lovers of sizzling sisig and uni-topped shrimp lumpia.

• All Ma’am Sir Coverage [ELA]