After more than four decades of smoke, sizzle, and student stories, Mang Larry’s Isawan has packed up its grills and left the University of the Philippines Diliman campus, closing a chapter that for generations defined the taste of campus life.
A Quezon City court ruling ordered the closure of the eatery’s main branch following a land use and tenancy dispute, prompting authorities to enforce the decision this week. Acting on the order, the Quezon City Anti-Squatting Task Force went to the campus to remove equipment and lock the stall, bringing an abrupt end to one of UP Diliman’s most enduring street food fixtures.
The ruling stemmed from a civil case between the university and Mang Larry’s Isawan owner Laurencio Convencido Jr., which the court decided in favor of the university.
Under the decision, Convencido was directed to settle unpaid rental arrears dating back to October 2021, along with interest, continuing monthly rent obligations, and filing-related costs. With the case resolved against him, the eatery relinquished its long-occupied space.
In a farewell message posted online, the owners struck a note of gratitude rather than grievance, thanking the university for allowing the business to operate on campus for nearly 50 years, even as it moved locations over the decades.
They also addressed customers directly, expressing appreciation for the loyalty and memories built around the main branch. The post framed the departure as a loss, but not an ending.
Founded in 1984, Mang Larry’s Isawan began as a modest rolling cart near Kalayaan Residence Hall before eventually finding a more permanent spot near the College of Fine Arts.
Over time, it became a rite of passage for students, faculty, and alumni, known for affordable grilled staples such as pork barbecue, chicken and pork isaw, liempo, and bangus, alongside a lineup of fried street food favorites that fueled late-night study sessions and post-class gatherings.
While the grills have gone quiet inside University of the Philippines Diliman, the brand itself is not disappearing. The owners confirmed that Mang Larry’s Isawan will continue operating at its Maginhawa-area branch along Magiting Street and at its UST location, assuring patrons that service will go on as they prepare for a new main branch in the future.
For many in the UP community, the closure is more than the loss of a food stall. It marks the passing of a shared space where meals doubled as milestones, friendships were forged over skewers, and campus culture found an unlikely but enduring anchor in smoke-blackened grills and plastic tables.
As Mang Larry’s Isawan steps beyond the university gates, its story remains inseparable from UP Diliman’s own living history, a reminder that institutions evolve, but memories linger long after the last order is called.