Magna Kainan has easily become my favorite restaurant in all of Denver. I chose Magna Kainan for my graduation dinner, and it turned into such a special and memorable evening thanks to the incredible care and attention from Patrick, the manager. He helped craft the perfect experience, allowing me to customize both the menu and specialty cocktails for the night. There were so many amazing options to choose from, but we ultimately selected the pandesal, kinilaw, and sisig as appetizers. All were absolutely delicious and the perfect start to the meal. The crab fat noodles were the highlight of the evening and completely unforgettable. The lechon and laing were equally outstanding, packed with flavor and beautifully prepared. What made the night even more special was seeing how much all of my guests enjoyed the experience. Friends flew in from Los Angeles, Palm Springs, and San Diego, and every single one of them are serious foodies who appreciate great dining experiences. They were all blown away by the flavors, creativity, and execution of every dish that came out of the kitchen. The cocktails were superb from start to finish, and all of my guests especially loved taking the Tito Boy shot together! Every detail of the night felt thoughtful and intentional. Thank you to Patrick and the entire Magna Kainan team for making such an important celebration feel truly magical. I can't wait to come back! read more

See all

Went here with a party of 4 on a Friday night - it had been on my list and was excited to try it out! We were seated promptly at 7, and had very attentive service. All of the cocktails we got were great (albeit mine was a bit boozy but my fault for not realizing it was a liquor-forward drink). My husband's ube cocktail was so fun! For food, we all shared Pandesal, lumpia, Bistek, pipino crunch, adobo fried rice and crab noodles. Everything was super tasty, I think my favorite might have been the pipino crunch (cucumber salad), or lumpia! The bistek was a little chewy, but I liked the relish coating it. The timing and order of the food was a little odd - instead of starting with the appetizers then mains, they brought out some mains then apps, with the lumpia being the very last thing to come out. Not the worst thing but the ordering was definitely a little weird (steak was one of the first items to come out). Overall, very enjoyable experience and love that this restaurant is on the InKind app! read more

See all

Let's talk food, this up scale Filipino cuisine is amazing!! I had the opportunity to try some appetizers, main courses, and dessert from here. You will have to look at the pictures to see what it all was. I can tell you, there was not anything that was served that was par or subpar. The flavors are bright, flavorful, and authentic. I had great customer service from the staff and a shoutout to the GM for her exceptional hospitality. My family of 4...2 kids had questions about the food and all of it was answered. There were great suggestions from the staff who seemed to be as enthusiastic about the food as we were. Despite being with a family, this is a great spot for date night with the lower lit ambiance and jams that makes this place lively. If you are in the Denver area, definitely check this place out, you won't be disappointed!! read more

See all

I am part Filipino, so I am always on the look out for a filipino restaurant. Since moving to Denver this is one of the very few options. We made a reservation, but were not seated right away. Once we were seated, no one came to our table for thirty minutes we had to go flag down someone to come check on us after being there for such a long time. To drink I got the ube snack, it did not taste very strongly of ube which was disappointing. For food we tried the lechon, chicken and shrimp shrewers, lumpia, sinagang, and bibingka for dessert. I especially loved the sinagang, its one of my favorite filipino dishes. The bibingka was also one of my favorites of the night! The shrimp skewer though was unfortunately not fresh. Everything else was good. I don't mind that this place goes more fusion style than traditional. I still think it gives the opportunity to try some more traditional Filipino food if you have not tried it before. I really wanted to love this place, but the service made me really just not want to come back. On top of that there was a 20% service charge which felt like a slap in the face after how horrible the service was, like they just do not care how the treat our customers because they will still make their money regardless. read more

Magna Kainan's Thursday Night Date Night is one of the best prix fixe dining experiences I've had in Denver. For $150 per couple, you get a four course menu plus a bottle of wine, and every course feels thoughtful, polished, and well executed. The menu offers choices at each course, and nothing felt like a filler option. Standouts for me were the shrimp and scallop kinilaw, which was fresh and perfectly balanced, the Filipino Caesar (a genuinely great take on a classic), and the Arctic char, which was easily the best preparation of char I've had. The kale salad surprised me the most, and that's saying something because I usually don't like kale. Dessert sealed the deal, especially the sweet corn crème brûlée. The experience feels intimate, relaxed, and ideal for a date night without being stuffy or overly formal. Whether you're actually on a date or just treating yourself, this is a great way to spend a Thursday night. I'll absolutely be back. read more

See all

We had a wonderful experience at Magna Kainan. They have a very extensive happy hour of food and drinks. We got the Adobo Fried Rice which was really tasty but not what I expected as the meat was on the crunchy/dried out side (I believe intentionally) but still good Also got their speciality Moms Crab Noodles. My friend loved it whereas I didn't prefer the fishy smell/taste of the crab even though I do love crab. The noodles were perfectly al dente though and the squid ink is fun. Beautiful presentation too. Service was solid -- very attentive. I never was looking for him needing something. Great drinks too! Got two different cocktails: Yuzu Highball and Ube sour, both wonderful. Also got dessert, Cassava Cake, which was unique to me and delicious I definitely will be back as there are so many things I want to try on the menu. Really cute inside and easy to find parking read more

Magna Kainan - Adobo fried rice - Filipino Near Me - Denver, Colorado

See all

This is exactly what Denver needed! There is barely any Filipino restaurants in this state, let alone, Denver, so it was nice to see another Filipino spot open up. I honestly was not expecting much from an elevated Filipino restaurant, but Magna Kainan did not disappoint. The reservation process was easy, and when I needed to adjust my party they did so with ease. I loved the ambiance, the restaurant is so cute and has huge windows. I love the open kitchen concept. Our party ended up doing the Tikim menu where the chef picks the food for us. It is $45 a person and it is worth it! It is a 3 course menu, but we got to try a variety of food. We got different skewers, Filipino influenced Caesar salad, pancit, singang, crab fat noodles, sinigang chicken wings, laing, sisig (we added to the order), and our dessert was lychee and calamansi sorbet. I'm glad we got to try a lot of their menu. They started offering kamayan for parties of 4 and up, which I definitely want to try! They also offer brunch as well. I am still so blown away by the whole meal, and service, and I hope they are successful because I hate seeing Filipino restaurants close. Also! Try their drinks! They're heavy handed lol but they taste so good! read more

See all

Overall, it was a lovely experience at Magna Kainan! Beautiful ambiance and wonderful service. We met here for a girls night, starting with happy hour and then staying for dinner service. We were chatting for more than 4 hours in a booth! We tried a few cocktails on the happy hour menu, including the margarita and yuzu, but decided to switch over to glasses of wine! And we ended up getting another bottle to share! On the happy hour menu, we enjoyed the sisig fried rice, pancit noodles, and caesar salad. The chicken wings were a bit hard and overcooked. On the dinner menu, our favorite was the pandesal bread -- we loved both of the spreads! The taste of the Mom's Crab Fat Noodle didn't quite do it for us. Very fishy (as expected) but also watery. Would have loved if it was a bit creamier. We also had a greens dish with a coconut sauce that we enjoyed!! The server explained that the automatic service charge would be split with the back end staff. And that we could give an additional tip just for her. It was just a bit awkward and put us on the spot to add an additional 20% to the bill, since she stood in front of our table waiting for us to pay. So it was a pretty expensive meal even with the HH deals. But we had a nice night. read more

Magna Kainan - Chicken wings and sisig fried rice - Filipino Near Me - Denver, Colorado

See all

Excited to come here and try their food! Parking was pretty much spread all over the streets, but you shouldn't have any problem. The restaurant is connected with an apartment complex and a few other retail stores. The interior was nicely designed, modern with a small flare of their culture. We came during happy hour, so there were a few goodies to share! We had the Sinigang chicken wings, Lechon Bowl, and Sisig Fried rice. I had ordered a Ube Colada and my friend ordered a drink from the HH menu. I was really excited about the Sinigang Chicken wings, as I looooooove Sinigang. But it wasn't what I expected. It was quite bland and very dried. It would've been better if there was a dipping sauce. Our favorite was the Sisig fried rice. You can really taste the wok's flame in the rice and the flavor was on point. The lechon bowl wasn't bad, but it wasn't great. I wasn't a fan of the liver sauce that they paired it with. We also shared a Pandan cheesecake at the end. It was alright. It was a bit too dense and not smooth. I tasted more of the cheese than pandan, which was what I was looking for. We had half of it only. Overall, it was a nice experience to share it with my friend but the food was not what I expected. We happened to be there for HH, so not sure of the full price, but based on reviews sounds like it's pricier than it should be. read more

See all

This was my first Filipino food experience. Wow was it interesting. I could not have imagined the flavor combinations of a few of the dishes. We had a table of 4, celebrating my birthday. When I made the reservation I noted that it was a birthday celebration. When we sat down there was a sweet card from the staff at the table. Since is was all of our first time dining at Magna Kainan and our first times experiencing Filipino food, our waiter was very patient with us and explained the menu and provided recommendations. The highlights were the Beef Tartare, chicken Skewers and Bread. read more

See all

Gluten free peeps - give this place a try!! Servers were very knowledgable and helpful with GF options and it was great. & actually... all peeps should check this place out! Our favorite item was the fried rice (and a close second was the wagyu tartar). Everything was truly delicious- both drinks and food! And I got a dessert which I wish I ordered 2 or 3 of, lol. The ambiance is gorgeous (check out my photo), and if you want a seat at the large table with the lanterns above it, you can specify that online as well - we were just at a regular table. read more

See all

I've been here twice and it's definitely an experience. The service is stand out and the atmosphere is classy and comfortable. The lumpia, ube cocktails, and lechon is a must to get the Filipino experience. read more

Magna Kainan - Chicken skewer, lumpia - Filipino Near Me - Denver, Colorado

See all

Finally a Filipino restaurant near metro Denver. Expect amazing food prepared from Filipino classics with a touch of modern. Specifically had the lumpia, pandesal, lechón, and sisig which tasted so good. Atmosphere is lovely and lively so if you are looking for quiet this won't be the atmosphere. Pay attention as well to specific seating options as we were seated at a larger table with other folks but it was great and we still had plenty of space. Excited to come back again! read more

See all

We had a great time eating at Magna Kainan as our first date after becoming parents! Every dish was delicious and we would definitely recommend and come again. The service was quick and friendly and the atmosphere was vibrant and clean. We loved the lumpia and pandesal the most but everything was worth getting! Hoping to come back and try more of the dishes read more

See all

Inside is beautifully decorated and fun. Servers were friendly and knowledgeable about the menu. However, for the price point, the quality of the dishes had me a little disappointed. I grew up with friends that are Filipino and was looking forward to trying different dishes in addition to some that I love. I LOVE lumpia, but in my opinion, the ones here didn't have that satisfying crunchy texture that I'm familiar with. The Sinigang has mussels that had that fishy taste to them and there was more sand and grainy-ness to it than I would except at this price point. The pandan cheesecake didn't taste as strong as it looks, it mostly just tasted like cheesecake. I was looking forward to a bit more pandan flavor but I know it can be difficult since pandan can be a subtle flavor. The Mom's crab noodles were good, I would recommend this one. There was a decent amount of crab included and the squid ink noodles were tasty without the weird texture that can happen sometimes with this dish. The pinakbet was a unique dish, interesting to try. Overall, a lot of sour-based flavors that were alright. But a little pricier than I would expect for the quality. You could still try it though for a different and unique flavor adventure. read more

See all

Beautiful space, get a seat by the window or the chef's counter if you can. Elevated Filipino food but they still have the classics. My favourites: 1) Crab roe noodles 2) Pandasal 3) Lechon 4) Grilled/smoke Cabbage and veggie dishes was refreshing. Things to pass on: 1) The Lumpia, I'm kind of sad about this because I wanted some Lola's lumpia but it just didn't hit the mark for the umami depth. 2) Pancit, meh Unfortunately - I did not have any dessert bc we were so stuffed but I would def come back! They also have lots of mocktails and NAs. read more

Magna Kainan - Filipino Near Me - Denver, Colorado

See all

Came here on a Monday night to celebrate my daughter's birthday. They only have street parking. We opted for the Tikim in the menu for $49 each. There were 3 of us, totalling $150. This was a rip off. This is what was served to us in this Tikim: 1st set served in a bamboo tray: Lumpia - $15 tuhog - Kabuti - $7 tuhog - Manok - $8 tuhog - Lengua - $9 pancit - $17 Total for the 1st set was $56 Then we were served the main course Laing - $12 Chicken inasal - $37 Total for the main courses - $49 Then we were served dessert bibingka (2 plates, not 3) - $24 Total of all that is $129 Now the taste of the food. Pancit was very delicious. Lumpia was not wrapped properly that the filling fell off the wrapping. The tuhogs were very good.. Very tasty. The laing was just okay. It needed more salt and coconut milk. Chicken inasal was a little dry. The inasal came with tinola soup and it had no taste. I couldnt even task the ginger which is the important part of the soup. The bibingka was not very good. Outside of the tikim, we ordered the pandesal. Which did not have a pandesal texture. But the bulalo butter was to die for. Yummy. We were given a pandan cheesecake for my daughter's birthday as a complimentary dessert. It was pretty good. Not that sweet that I can eat the whole thing. Overall, setting aside the disappointment of the Tikim, it was still worth a try. read more

I came with a group of 7 and we had reservations. When we arrived, we were told that our only option was the prix fixe meal based on our group size. That was not clearly shown anywhere on the website and that's not what everyone in our party wanted. There was a lot of back and forth with restaurant staff....one person said we all didn't have to do prix fixe but some could if they wanted and then our waiter said it was all or nothing. One person in our party was so frustrated that she left. We finally ended up with none of us would do the prix fixe. Our server did keep encouraging us to order family style because the food comes out at varied times. We said we understood that, but some of us wanted to order our own thing. There was no issue at all with the timing of the dishes. We did enjoy the food/presentation and the decor is nice. Our server also split the checks which was unexpected and appreciated. read more

See all

Beautiful restaurant. Decent service. Food... disappointing. Although we are Filipino, we did understand that this was not traditional Filipino food, but the dishes were so far off base from the traditional dishes and flavors they were inspired by, that we were extremely disappointed. If you want to know what Filipino food taste like this is not where you should be going. Non Filipinos might like some of these dishes but calling it Filipino food is not accurate. I enjoyed the garlic fried rice and the adobo fried rice however the adobo fried rice needs another name since there was no adobo flavor at all. Apparently, it was the garlic fried rice with adobo mayo that was just mayo tasting. I believe it was topped with chicharron. We also enjoyed the chicken skewer, great flavor. Everyone who ordered the pork skewers had entire skewers of chewy pieces of pork that weren't very edible, but the marinade had great flavor. Mind you, it's one skewer per order. Just our order of plain white rice was old hard stale. It didn't taste fresh or it wasn't cooked through. Either way it was hard and we couldn't eat it. Our pandesal was burnt. The sisig was burnt and not very appetizing. None of drinks were not good: Ube latte, mango bay, and pandan lemonade (we didn't enjoy any of them). The mango bay drink did not hint of mango, was white in color, and grainy. Water tasted like tap which is very disappointing for such an expensive restaurant. We ended up having to order a bottle of sparkling water to have something decent to drink. The bistek was just an undercooked rare piece of sliced steak. Nothing like Filipino bistek. We actually should've been told that it's cooked extra rare so we could've picked the cook temp that we preferred. It was completely inedible for all of us. The only things the table felt was okay was the Ginataan and Laing, but nothing to come back for and order. The worst part of it was that food wasn't being brought out at one time. When we asked for the rice we ordered for our meat appetizers they were telling us that they were coursing the menu so when we had meat, we didn't have rice. when the rice came out the meat we wanted it for was cold. when the rice came out we were waiting for the other dishes to eat with the rice. There was nothing on the menu that told us this is how the food was going to be served. When we asked for rice because of the appetizers of meat, they wouldn't give it to us. How hard can it be to find rice in a Filipino restaurant go scoop it out of the rice cooker and serve it so we can eat it. They just made us wait cause they wanted to call bowls of rice a second course. All the server let us know that it was family style, but all the portions were appetizer sized, including all entrees. $400+ later we left hungry. If anything, they should rebrand this to a restaurant that's not considered Filipino food because this was not Filipino food. A lot to pay for underwhelming food. Really wanted to love this place but we won't be back. read more

See all

We recently celebrated our anniversary at Magna Kainan, a new Filipino restaurant in the Rino Arts District, and it was a memorable evening! My partner, who is Filipino, found the food to be just okay, but he genuinely liked the dishes we tried. During our visit, we ordered the Lumpia Shanghai, which are delicious pork and mushroom eggrolls. They were perfectly paired with fresh pineapple and came with a delightful side of sweet chili sauce. As someone who loves eggrolls, it had been a while since I enjoyed them, and this dish was simply amazing! The crispy texture and flavorful filling made for a satisfying appetizer that I highly recommend to anyone looking for a tasty treat. We also ordered the Baboy, a pork belly binagoongan. The dish featured tender pork belly marinated in coconut milk and fermented shrimp paste, complemented by a tangy green mango salsa. The texture of the pork belly was incredible from the very first bite--I knew we were in for a treat! Alongside that, we had the Sisig, which included crispy pork head, onions, calamansi, soy sauce, Thai bird chili, and scallions, all topped with a perfectly poached egg. The flavors were bold and satisfying. For our entree, we decided to share Mom's Crab Fat Noodles, made with homemade squid ink noodles, crab fat sarsa, picked crab, pickled corn, and pepper chow chow. We had the option to add soft-shell crab for an extra charge, but we opted out since we were already enjoying the crab in the dish and wanted to save room for dessert. Speaking of dessert, we tried the Pandan Cheesecake, and it was simply divine! This was my first experience with pandan cheesecake, and I highly recommend it--you won't regret it. We also indulged in the Ube Coconut Jello Shots, which were a fun addition to our meal. To top off our celebration, the restaurant surprised us with champagne glasses at the end of our meal in honor of our anniversary, which was such a thoughtful gesture. Overall, we are excited to explore more of the menu and see what this fantastic restaurant brings to Denver. If you're in the area, Magna Kainan is definitely worth a visit! read more

See all

What a fantastic experience! Was able to make a reservation for 2 fairly easily a few days in advance and there were plenty of times open. Note that they do take a credit card for any late cancellations. We chose to do restaurant week and add on the Wagyu tartare. The wagyu tartare was absolutely fantastic, we really enjoyed this dish. A few other highlights, the Lechon: the pork belly was super crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Kaldereta: lamb had a strong taste but overall really good dish Dessert was the Bibingka, which, to be completely honest, was the only dish we disliked. It was extra salty and oddly dry. That was our only complaint to an overall great mean. Service was friendly and attentive. Note, they do charge 20% gratuity automatically. Our meal was pretty pricey so definitely a special occasion dinner than a normal night out but already can't wait until the next visit! read more

See all

I was so excited about this spot but it fell flat essentially the whole way through. They were out of the beer I preferred. The food is not timed, as they encourage a "shared experience". So if people are ordering separate things- half the table is left without food, while the half are served first. We would not have booked if we knew this was the arrangement. Food was way too salty and the flavors were just off. Chipped plate, and mediocre service (20% is included in all bills). I would skip this one. Gave an extra star for beautiful design and ambience. read more

See all

As a fellow Filipino - I was very excited to try this spot! A couple of highs and lows for me. The restaurant itself is gorgeous. It gives a causal, but fun tropical vibe. I also love how the menu brings the Filipino culture to life with words in Tagalog. Service was top notch and paced very well. Note there's no signal in the restaurant so it's a good opportunity to catch up with friends and disconnect. My favorite dishes were the Lechon, scallop skewers, and pan de sal. The flavor of the Kare Kare was also fantastic, but I thought the meat was too tough. We ordered a lot of dishes for 3 people and the total was about $190. Note they add gratuity at the end! Overall a good spot for cocktails and apps. read more

See all

THE BIG: Located in the Novel RiNo building in the RiNo neighborhood of downtown Denver. Very big and vibey interior that is very bohemian. Street parking available. THE BLACK AND WHITE: We came here on a Sunday night for dinner with a couple of friends. Fortunately since it wasn't too busy, we got seated immediately. The menu the perfect size, not an overwhelming amount of options but just right. We got the mango me crazy, baboy, kapis, pandesal, crab fat noodles, kare kare, lechon, pandan cheesecake for our dishes. My favorite bite was the lechon and the crab fat noodles. Though you also can't go wrong with the kare kare. THE FINAL BAMBOO: Overall the damage done here was around $190 for eight dishes. Gratuity is also automatically added. Good flavors and if you're in the mood for upscale filipino food, this might be the spot in Denver. read more

See all

I have never had Filipino food, so I can't speak to the authenticity of the food here, but I love the spin they put on brunch. Brunch is on Sundays until 2pm, and it is worth the price of plates for sure. We had a crab fat Benedict, which just had so much flavor. The egg yolk combined with the pieces of crab for a delightful breakfast. We didn't care as much for the black sesame waffle- it was different and interesting, but a little too crispy for my liking, and the flavors weren't as bold. The sangria was stunningly beautiful and probably the best sangria I have had, but I was even more impressed by the ube snack drink, which had a velvety texture and flakes of dried coconut. Jeff, our server, had a wonderful sense of humor and added a great sense of whimsy to our meal. Highly highly recommend and will absolutely be back to take advantage of happy hour. read more

See all

Solid food, great service. I can't say Im thrilled with the location, but mainly because its on the ground floor of a recent development in a neighborhood thats in the early stages of a boom. Right now it feels out of the way and isolated, ten years from now it might be THE happening neighborhood in Denver. We order the egg roll things with the pork in them, the noodles, and the lamb. Crispy lamb was bomb. Everything was good. This place has been in a lot of lists lately, and its not hard to see why. Its a relatively distinct concept in the Denver food scene, its in a trendy neighborhood, and its god a very modern feel. These things were all to some extent pluses, but honestly what is really going to stand out to me is the staff. Ive had a lot of great dining experiences that involved Interactions with great servers, but there was something distinct about the enthusiasm the staff had here. I was here on a Monday when it was a little quite, but our sever was very enthusiastic, very helpful, a little quirky, and we were visited by a few different members of the team that night, all of them who were very friendly, attentive, and excited to share their thoughts on the menu. read more

Very pretty indoors - loved the rattan lights, the wall art and the colorful corners. Service was welcoming and our server gave us some good suggestions. Food here I think is great - having been to the Philippines, I felt like I tasted similar flavors. I especially thought the rolls were very tasty as was the crispy pork belly. The lamb skewers were alright. For dessert, I got the Pandan cheesecake and the Pandan flavor really came through - not too strong, just enough to enjoy the slice. Overall, I think this is a nice restaurant but I do think it is on the pricier side. Also, 20% service charge is added for every party irrespective of party size. read more

See all

I happened to stop by during Denver Restaurant Week and I am so happy I did! As a huge fan of Filipino cuisine, I was stoked to see that a new Filipino restaurant was opening up and it unfortunately took me this long to check it out. They can get busy so make sure to make reservations! First off, the food was amazing. We started with the pandesal and it was personally my favorite dish we had. The bread was perfectly crispy on the outside and so soft on the inside. The tajin and liver-based (I know it sounds funky but it's actually really good) sauces complimented the pandesal perfectly. The salmon was also cooked perfectly with a crispy skin and juicy, soft flesh. Same story for the sisig! My only complaint for the food would be the caldereta. It was unbearably salty and honestly a bit difficult to eat even with a healthy amount of rice. Service was on point too! We sat at the chef's counter and although it was definitely hectic, it was cool to see how much of a well-oiled machine their operations were. We also had the chance to chit chat with the cooks for a bit. Magna Kainan is a much-needed, much-welcomed addition to the Asian food scene in Denver and I can't wait to be back! read more

See all

I definitely would not recommend this place to someone. This place was alright. Interior is beautiful, but the food and service was not great. Our initial server started off great. However the service fell off afterwards and we received much better service from that lady with blonde hair. I seen the bartender was drinking a white claw black cherry seltzer while they all were huddled in the front? At home, yes. But at work? .... Interesting way to represent this franchise. Pancit and Lechon was great! Skin was crispy and meat was soft. Everything else we got was underwhelming. It's Filipino Fusion, but I did not enjoy it at all. Pandesal felt more like toasted dinner rolls. Drinks and dessert were also ok. I could only taste the Colada part from my Ube Colada. Tried the pandan mocktail and I couldn't taste any pandan. Ube tres leches.......... Definitely missed both parts of the dessert. read more

Love that we have this spot in town now -- what a cool representation of authentic Filipino food! The staff is absolutely wonderful, the space is organic and welcoming, and the food is fantastic -- spanning everything from the classic Lumpia most people know from Filipino cuisine, to creative modern takes on octopus with mango boba, to completely unfamiliar flavors to me of the pumpkin curry in the oxtail Kare-Kare. Some items I'd definitely recommend ordering: - Hawaiian rolls with bone marrow and guava butters - any of the meat skewers paired with their respective sauces - lumpia (fried pork rolls) -- a classic - kinilaw (yellowtail ceviche) - kilawin (charred octopus) - sisig (probably my favorite: crispy pork head skillet with runny egg) - lechon liempo (crispy pork belly with sinamak and liver sauce) And so many other things I wish I'd tried! read more

See all

Purchased from Magna Kainan's food stand at the Dragon Boat Festival. It's bad enough how often tips are pre-suggested on POS, but this was new to me: a 20% mandatory tip, with no ability to remove, only to add. (But they made it sound positive: "tip is already included, no need for more.") The dish had a prominent price of $18; total with tax & required tip was $23.32. The food was quite good, but that is not a reasonable business practice at a food stand, especially when not disclosed upfront. read more

We tried this place for a friend's birthday. Being half Filipino myself, it's amazing to have a Filipino restaurant in Denver. Our drinks were spectacular. Every cocktail we tried was delicious balanced, and presented beautifully. Our first orders were the Sisig and Mom's Crab Fat Noodles - both great. The noodles were yummy and rich but not too fishy. The Sisig was maybe the best I've EVER had. It was cooked perfectly and seasoned just as well, and the egg was the cherry on top. For bigger entrees we had Lechon and Inasal. The lechon was also some of the best I've ever had - seasoned and delicious, felt like a fresher version, but was still enjoyable in the same classic way I've enjoyed lechon my entire life. The inasal was good, but a bit dry, and I've had better made by my family. It was great, don't get me wrong - nothing was wrong with it. But it was just lacking some flavor. Our hostess was super friendly, along with the servers who brought out our food! We loved chatting with them. Our waitress, though, was a bit rude with us throughout the meal, and just sort of seemed impatient/uninterested. However, after we tipped her, she suddenly become very friendly and talkative. It was like a stark and noticeable change. I'm hoping for this part of the experience to be a bit better next time. Other than the food and service, and restaurant itself is beautiful. The attention to detail in the decor is lovely, the music fit the vibes perfectly, and the lighting was moody in a cozy way. I'll be coming back to give this place another try! What a great high end Filipino restaurant overall. read more

See all

Yay, a brand new Filipino restaurant has opened up in Denver!! They opened last Friday (Nov 22) so it's pretty new in town but heard they've had their soft opening about 2-3 weeks ago?! So far, the dishes didn't disappoint. As a Filipino born and raised in the Philippines, I can say their ulam (main entrees), pulutan (appetizers), rice, dessert, cocktails and beer selections hit close to home like mom's cooked meals. I was introducing my date to Filipino food and he liked the family-style spread for the most part. For any non-Filipino adventurous eaters, trust me you can't go wrong with Sisig, Lumpiang Shanghai, Kare Kare (oxtail entree in sarsa/sauce) and Adobe Fried Rice which are among the staple dishes in the Philippines. I wanted to try the Mom's Crab Fat Noodles which the server mentioned is Chef Carlo LaMagna's dish that captures his journey as a chef and is the star of the show! It also looks good in the photos on Yelp or in reviews on the web so I will definitely come back for that and for the pandesal. Desserts - if you wanna go traditional, "Biko" is a must-try. The consistency is similar to that of mango sticky rice sans the mango of course, but the best part is it's made with ube w/ all the goodness of the "latik" (coconut based dessert sauce usually paired with biko). I almost thought the brown butter polvoron dusting is all brown sugar but all I can say, it's divine and what a perfect combo! I prefer that over the Basque Style Pandan Cheesecake. Cocktails - I keep seeing other tables get the Ube Colada mocktail and Ube Snack but I opted for the Under the Tamarind Tree which is glorious-- very tarty with calamansi and tamarind; I can barely taste the alcohol (rum) in it. I'm honestly ecstatic to see Red Horse and San Miguel on the beer list as these are staple drinks you can find in the Philippines. Our server Jay was pretty good with explaining the stuff on the menu and introducing dishes -- what will be good to order based on your liking so definitely ask away! I'm glad they can also modify the dishes based on your allergies (if you have any) and ask if stuff can be gluten free. My only qualm is the servers take away your plates quite so quickly! Granted, they do ask but if you are still working on something, let them know because even if there's some food on your plate- they'll most likely take it away unless you tell them not to. Finally, a good Filipino restaurant in Denver I can say I would go back to- and worth going back to as well. Just make sure to make your reservations on OpenTable. They do accept walk-ins but it's best to do your resys as it can get busy. I sure hope they are here to stay! I heard before they opened this up, the chef also has another Filipino resto in Portland called Magna Kusina, and my friend can vouch for it! So happy that Chef Carlo and @theculinarycreativegroup is putting Filipino food in the map, especially because you don't see a ton of Filipino food presence here in Denver. read more

Had to try Magna Kainan before it got too popular. We went the day after the grand opening and snagged an early reservation at 5:00pm. By 5:30pm - the dining room was packed and I can see why. From the greeting at the door to the warm wishes hoping to see guests return, service was sincere and wanting to ensure all were satisfied. Staff knew the dishes and were able to tell us their favorites so it was evident that they had been exposed to the menu. Cocktails are fun and tropical. One was plenty for me but they also have other options such as beer, wine, and regular spirits. The Who Yu(zu) was a citrusy but rich cocktail of yuzu vodka, melon, aloe, lemongrass, and egg white. We were told if we wanted to the bread (pandesal), to definitely order it early because it usually runs out by 7:00pm. Well worth it! Four fluffy rolls with a crisp top served in a steaming hot cast iron pan with bone marrow butter and chamoy guava butter. (BTW - these heat up nicely the next day!) We decided to try several of the skewers & snacks and split a main and rice between two of us. The Lechon Liempo (pork belly) was cooked well and was nice and juicy. It paired well with the adobo fried rice. My favorite was the Lumpia Shanghai. A crispy thin pastry wrap (lumpia) filled with pork served with a pineapple chili sauce. Filipino food is hard to come by in Denver. Run, don't walk, to Magna Kainan. read more

See all

Finally got to try Magna Kainan's brunch. As you see in the menu pictured, you can build your own silog or sando base and choose what you want to eat. I went with the silog base (garlic rice, fried egg and atchara pickles) and added tocino as my protein. This dish was so delicious and filling. I also ordered the ube mochi waffle which came with black sesame butter & pineapple mango compote. It was sooo good that I almost cried. The combination of the crispy yet chewy waffle combined with the nuttiness of the black sesame butter and perfect sweetness of the pineapple mango compote was to die for! I loved everything about Magna Kainan - from the food, to the service, to the ambience. Cannot wait to visit again! read more

See all

This place is the best Filipino restaurant I have been to in the States and in the Philippines. It stays true to the spirit of each traditional dish but refines it with contemporary American culinary technique. I wouldn't call it fusion, because, even though some items offer a unique twist, the strategy is straightforward, but done to detailed perfection. For example, the lechon kawali appetizer used my favorite sliver cuts of pork belly crisped to just right, but with the meat and fat striations moist, tender, and not greasy. The kawali sauces made from liver, vinegar, garlic, and something sweet had a light touch that enhanced but didn't dominate the lechon. There was a delicious side of white rice that was fresh and not too sticky, and atsara, which is a Filipino version of chutney, in the bright colors of chilis. Again, all the tastes contrasted and balanced carefully like chamber music. The service is top-notch with the friendliness and casualness of a good diner, but also the judicious knowledge and hospitality of fine dining without pretence. The setting is sophisticated with allusions to Filipino culture. The art is beautiful and lively. The escabeche was the best I've ever tasted, but I'll leave that for you to discover. read more

Magna Kainan - Escabeche with red snapper - Filipino Near Me - Denver, Colorado

Overall happy hour experience: 5/5 - Tried everything on the happy hour & dessert menu so we can report back to you all! Food: 4.8/5 Happy to say that literally everything we had was delicious (except the mushroom adobo pani puri - unfortunately was not a fan) and it was a wonderful and refreshing take on elevated Filipino food! The explosion of flavors from the sinigang chicken wings and tinola skewer went SO well with the unique yuzu-pandan highball & pandan lemonade. Finished off with three desserts (the basque style pandan cheesecake was a HUGE hit for us). It was an amazing elevated take on Filipino food, which isn't something you see often in Filipino restaurants across the states. Service: 5/5 Our server Stephen was literally so amazing, fun, and friendly! He was so informative about the food and restaurant itself. We had a wonderful experience being his table. We were lucky enough to meet the CDC (Chef Jodee) and she took the time to have a nice convo about the restaurant with us as well! And a huge shout out to Nehra for taking this song request to play out to the whole restaurant. Ambiance: 5/5 We came here on a Sunday afternoon right when they opened for their happy hour, and it wasn't busy at all, which was honestly nice for us since we were able to talk to the staff. They did note that they do get busy for brunch and dinner. The restaurant itself was so aesthetic, modern, and the decor had the right amount of Filipino homey-ness to it in the art. It's also street parking, so just be prepared for that if you have a reservation! Can't wait to come by again to try out their brunch and dinner menus when we're back in Denver! read more

See all

I made reservations on a Friday night, and upon walking in, the ambiance is beautiful. The decorations, table setting, and service were all on point. We ordered the ginataan, laing, and lechon to share. Starting off with the lechon, the portion is more than enough for 2 people. The liver mousse is their version of an all purpose sauce, and it is potent. I like that it came with a side of pickled veggies though I wish it were a tad more sour. I did think the lechon was too salty so I didn't end up eating too much of it. The laing was nice and creamy, but also thought it was a tad too salty. The ginataan came out last and so far behind, we almost forgot about it. The sweet toasted bread really complemented the dish, but without it, the broth seems too overpowering and it made me wish I had some rice with the whole meal. Overall, was a good experience, but I expected a bit more of a creative flair to traditional Filipino cooking. read more

See all

A really good place with excellent service! Staff is very passionate about the food offerings here and it shows. They are also very supportive of the neighboring businesses and it certainly feels like a neighborhood instead of sectioned off businesses. Since I didn't get a good night's rest the night before my memory is a bit spotty. However I remember the lumpia and the glass noodle dish. I know I hate glass noodles but they elevated it where I actually dug into the dish some more. Glady we ordered family style so our party could try many different dishes. I certainly will keep this on the map. The entire restaurant has a wonderful glow about it and the energy is shared throughout the different spaces. read more

Our supper club had marked our calendars for the opening of Magna Kainan a number of months ago and had been anxiously awaiting the opportunity to give it a try. I for one was excited, as I hadn't really hadn't had Filipino food since moving to Denver (read: far too long ago). The space has a very hip vibe with a number of gorgeous decor touches (beautiful constellation of woven lanterns and other neat light fixtures, fun & funky wallpaper and paint colors, etc.), and the music was upbeat and unexpected. From the moment I walked in, the staff was on point. Helpful, cheerful, and enthusiastic. They also functioned as a team, which this early in the game was a notably positive thing. (Also special shoutout to our server who properly steered us on our order in terms of quantity; we had read so much about small portions that we definitely would've overshot without her guidance.) The menu includes some more classic dishes as well as many chef-inspired takes, and honestly, it was all fantastic. The beverage menu was also interesting, and we were able to try some cocktails and mocktails. (Definitely appreciated that they had fun N/A drink options.) The new cabbage dish was stellar, I also loved the coconut greens. The bread was amazingly warm and tender, and I would find any excuse to consume that butter again. Ha. The crab fat noodles were such a tasty flavor bomb, and the new leche flan was gorgeous to behold and tasty to eat. I think the only thing I would say remotely negatively, is the lumpia didn't stay wrapped very well (maybe too much filling, or not enough wrapper), so consuming them was a bit piecemeal. While I don't have the same experience with this food as some of the other reviewers, I will say I think this is meant to be a modern, fancy take on Filipino food, and if you go with that in mind I think you'll be quite pleased. read more

See all