Saw a reel about this place on Instagram and saved it for when I traveled to Portland. It definitely lived up to hype! Great service, friendly staff, & amazing Filipino food I would definitely be visiting again when I'm in the area coming from Nor-Cal! 5 out 5 read more

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It was cold, it was winter the first time we ate here, and it was outside, we had reservation. This time, we made another reservation, and wanted inside dining. We were seated right away, and menu were already on our table (we were a bit late, an outdoor event was just ending, hard to find a parking spot). Our Lumpia and meat skewers were really good and presented just right. So was the the rock fish. Everyone devoured the Pancit Bihon! The chicken, well, it was as if I was using a dull knife! When chicken doesn't fall apart with just a knife, or your fingers easily, it only means: it's not fully cooked! The rock fish, on the other hand, is also appealing outside, and all, but it wasn't cooked inside. (see photo). I figured: FUSION means: frozen inside and quickly cooked outside, to meet in demand. The chef won an award in 2022, but quality had gone down, when foods are not getting cooked right. Customers, want consistency, and they want their money's worth. read more

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This was my second time dining at Magna , and I had been looking forward to coming back. I've even gone out of my way to visit the Denver location while in town. Every time friends or family have visited the Portland area, I've raved about Magna and told them how much better I thought the food was compared with what we have in Seattle. So it's disappointing to say that tonight, I hesitate to recommend it. To be clear, the food was just as good as I remembered. Unfortunately, the service and overall experience left me frustrated and confused. We had an 8:15 PM reservation at the chef's counter. The restaurant was busy when we arrived, but we were greeted and seated without issue. After being seated, however, we waited about 10-15 minutes before our server returned to take our order and ask what we wanted to drink. We then waited another 5-10 minutes for water--and ultimately had to ask another server/expeditor for it. We ordered four skewers and lumpia to start. At one point, one of our mains came out instead. We realized that the noodles belonged to the couple sitting next to us, who had ordered them. It was a busy night, so we were understanding and didn't make a big deal out of the mix-up. Our drink arrived, followed by the skewers, and then our mains began coming out--but still no lumpia. It seemed that order had simply been lost. Again, things happen, especially on a busy night, and we were willing to let it go. And eventually got our order. What really bothered me was what happened afterward. Our grilled chicken and crab noodles were dropped off by another server, and that was essentially the last interaction we had with our servers. Once things at the counter started to calm down, neither server checked on us even once. Not a "How is everything?" Not a "Can I get you anything else?" Nothing. Meanwhile, our original server repeatedly walked past us, checked on the guests sitting next to us, chatted with other employees, took shots, and ate popcorn. I'm not bothered by employees having fun or taking a moment to relax--I'm bothered that she seemed to have time for all of that but never once acknowledged us as guests. The contrast was especially noticeable because the couple next to us was offered dessert, ordered dessert, and continued enjoying their experience while we sat there with empty plates in front of us, essentially waiting for an opportunity to get someone's attention- we tried to get the other chef's attention but he was busy cooking or couldn't hear us, tried to flag down the lady that sat us but she would just zoom past us. Eventually, the chef came back from his break and asked how everything was. He also had to get our server's attention so that we could get our check. After a couple more laps to the back and watching the table next to us enjoy their dessert, our server finally picked up our card. Within a minute, she returned with the check for us to sign. I genuinely hate writing a review like this because I really like Magna's food. I've recommended this restaurant enthusiastically to friends and family, and I came in tonight expecting the same experience I remembered. Unfortunately, great food can only carry an experience so far. Tonight, we felt overlooked and, frankly, like an inconvenience rather than valued guests. It's a shame because the food was as good as I remembered--but the service was disappointing enough that I don't see myself going back anytime soon. read more

Came here with my bf and a friend for early dinner. The interior has a rustic and natural atmosphere to it, lots of dark wood involved. We ordered sisig, the lechon manok (half chicken), pancit, and garlic rice. Sisig - 6/10. I'm not a big fan of pork but this was good. The flavor was mild but certain bits had a wonderful crunch to them. Paired with the garlic rice, it went down well but wasn't memorable. Pancit - 7/10. This was the best pancit I've ever tasted. I wish there was more to it though. Just a few pieces of shredded cabbage and a bunch of carrots. Was missing some substantial things like shrimp or egg to really make this whole. Lechon manok - 4/10. This was lacking in flavor and impossible to cut. Pass. 20% auto gratuity so be aware of that. This was an expensive meal that missed the mark for me on flavor. Won't run this back. read more

Magna Kusina - Garlic rice and sisig - Filipino Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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All menu items were generally well flavored and cooked pretty well. The sisig was nice and salty & oily. The lechon was a bit dry, but sauces were helpful for moisture & to keep the flavors interesting. Would highly recommend the skewers as they have that yummy charcoal grilled type of flavor. Garlic rice is such a must when eating filipino food too YUM. Service was speedy and nice @ restaurant was so cute and had a great vibe read more

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The food is always phenomenal here at the restaurant. The staff is very nice and welcoming each time I eat out with friends. The portion of the food was enough to share and love the positive vibes as well. read more

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Really great Filipino food in Portland! The restaurant itself was cool. It had a mural of the Philippines & the word "Mabuhay" on the wall. It handful of tables inside with a nice covered patio outside. The vibes were great... until they weren't. We greeted our waiter with "Mabuhay" in which he replied, "What?" confused- it's literally painted on the wall my guy. Crazy way to start dinner. Food came out impossibly slow. The restaurant wasn't full so I'm not too sure why it took as long as it did. They didn't mention coursing it out so we assumed they did. Drinks were all on point, everyone loved the Filipino inspired cocktails. Ube Colada was the table's fave. We ordered a bunch of things: 2 Skewers of the Bistek [$12 each], 4 Skewers of BBQ Pork [$10 each]. Bistek could have used a little more lemon/citrus as Bistek is known to be a little sour but the steak was amazingly juicy and tender. BBQ Pork always hits, super good! Did the Pancit Bihon [$17], it was "okay," have had better. Sisig [$17] was good as well, like the "pork bits" different way of prepping the dish. Diniguan [$27] as my most favorite part of the meal. I was sooo impressed with how that one came out. Loved that dish so much. Such an innovative way of presenting the dish. It was pork chop (cut up) with diniguan sauce on top (not drenched) with shishito peppers. OMG mouthwatering. LOVE that dish. Vibes were high until we asked where the other dish was which was the Lechon Manok [$27]. Our waiter kind of gave us an attitude saying that it was coming & that it took a while to prep. Mind you we ordered everything at the same time. That wasn't even it. The chicken came out we were cutting it, and then he saw us kind of struggle a bit, so he took the chicken and started tearing it apart with his hands... That should have already been a red flag. He said his hand were clean. Then he comes back like literally 10 minutes later asking if we wanted a box. Bro, the chicken barely came out give us time to enjoy the chicken you tore apart. He asked if it was good & we said it was 'alright.' Cause it was. Wasn't impressed with that dish at all. He left us alone for a bit and then came back saying, "I feel like I'm not doing enough, do you guys need anything?" If you were bored, just say that. Whatever, he lost us at that point. We saw him smoking outside, so hopefully his hands were clean. The food was great, the service was whatever. read more

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Friendly welcoming homey vibes. Drinks were definitely on the stronger side but it was good. I would say we enjoyed every dish but the scallops with arugula stood out. Dishes were more on the salty side so getting garlic rice or white rice helped. We enjoyed the music that was playing in the background :) read more

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Holy one of the better meals I've had in the last few years. Cool Filipino joint, I'm from Seattle and it was cool talking to the owner who knows all the Seattle Filipino owners well. Everything we ordered hit the spot, the place was rocking with good energy, not too loud, but when food is this good it makes people happy and that in turn makes a vibe. Soft shell crab on those mom's crab fat noodles were last meal worthy. read more

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My wife and I were looking for a restaurant to end our honey moon and since we're both from the Philippines, filipino cuisine was it! We stumble upon Magna Kusina and we don't regret it! We were welcomed by the staff and owner who are really nice and gave us recommendations. The place looked rustic as if it was from a cabin. We ordered sisig, laing, some skewers, and chicken manok. The drinks we got were ube piña colada & pandan old fashion. Our desserts was just tupig (which is the best tupig we've had). We loved it all. We had a delightful conversation with the owner Carlo & the cook Jacob because the food had a distinct flavor and we were curious on where they were from! They were kind enough to tell us their story, they seem very passionate about the art of their food! Thank you for ending our honey moon in a blast! read more

Magna Kusina - Pandan old fashion & ube piña colada - Filipino Near Me - Portland, Oregon

update: realized how small my soft shell crab add on was compared to the other photos wtf scammed -1 food: 7/10 - slightly above avg atmosphere: 2/3 - avg i got the sigsig and the crab fat noodle with the add on soft shell crab. the sigsig was amazing, and well worth the money. the crab fat noodles weren't that good, it had slight crab fat flavors but the corn and acid flavors overpowered everything else. wouldn't recommend tbh. the service is as you would expect, mandatory 20% service charge but thats expected. overall as a value eater i wouldn't come again read more

Magna Kusina - crab fat noodle - Filipino Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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magna kusina was awesome! best filipino dinner spot in pdx the crab fat noodles were soooo good! the calamansi marg hit the spot! the service was awesome! they got to know their locals even better the ambiance felt familiar! the bathroom extra filipino, if youre not filipino, here would be a good place to start read more

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We came to Magna Kusina for our 24th anniversary and had some of the best food I've had at a restaurant that I'd unfortunately never return to. The sisig and garlic rice were absolute standouts that were deeply flavorful and the dishes I'd come back for if this review were based on food alone. The Mama's crab noodles also left a huge impression. The coconut greens were close to excellent, though they felt just a little thin or underdeveloped compared to the other dishes. I'd probably pass on the skewers next time. Cocktails were incredible across the board. The reason I wouldn't return is the experience around seating. We made reservations far in advance and even accommodated a requested time change because we specifically wanted to celebrate inside. Instead, we were bumped outside, where we ended up eating next to the neighboring bar with a steady stream of chain smokers all evening. It was frustrating to have such exceptional food paired with an anniversary experience that felt like an afterthought. read more

Magna Kusina - Filipino Near Me - Portland, Oregon

I wasn't sure what to expect since I hadn't had Filipino food in Portland before (and I can be particular about my Filipino food sometimes), but friends spoke highly of Magna Kusina so a group of us went while we were in town -- and I'm so glad we did! We had a reservation and were seated outside. It was a busy Saturday night, and it was especially busy indoors, and I think most of us were relieved to have some fresh air. Our server was friendly and helpful, walking us newbies through the popular food and drink options. It was great to be in a group of foodies who were only too happy to share family style -- we got to try a ton of dishes, among them: chicken skewers, lumpia, sisig, crab fat noodles, pancit bihon, pork rib adobo, garlic rice, and of course can't forget that halo-halo at the end. There were cocktails and other drinks too, like ube grasshopper shots and San Miguel beer. Everything was delicious! They describe their food as a modern take on Filipino cuisine, which feels accurate -- not strictly traditional, not fusion, but creative and upscale. I'd happily return on a future trip to Portland! read more

Magna Kusina - Filipino Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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Magna Kusina is widely known as one of the best Filipino eateries in Oregon spearheaded by a James Beard Award finalist. This spot is located in the Southeast Portland area where street parking will be your best. Reservations are highly recommended as spots do tend to fill up fast. Wifey and I pulled up with some of our friends with a dinner reservation for 7pm. They have about 4-5 tables inside with some additional seating outdoors in their patio as well. For their menu, they have a nice selection of skewers, appetizers, and entrees to choose from. Our group ended up doing a family style spread consisting of the Chicken Inasal, Isaw (Pork Intestine), and Baka (Steak) Skewers, Ginataan Kalabasa, Mom's Crab Fat Noodles, Pork Rib Adobo, Garlic Rice, and some Calamansi Sodas. Overall, everything that we had tasted delicious and we thoroughly enjoyed our dining experience here. All of the staff are very friendly and welcoming. Definitely book your next reservation here and come check them out! read more

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This was an amazing dining experience! From the moment we arrived, the service was awesome! We got a table and the server gave us the run down on the menu. We tried 1/2 a dozen different dishes and every one of them was a different level of amazing. From the simplicity of the rice noodles, to the crispy chicharon, there were so many great things about the meal. The lumpia was one of my favorites. The pork and mushroom combination was bursting with beautifully prepared flavors. Inside is small, so you can see all the action taking place in the kitchen. If you have a small group, you might want to get a seat very close to the action. Great service, amazing meal! Thank you!!! read more

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Came here for the first time for lunch! Nestled in a cute little closed-off street. They recommend making reservations, as seating is limited. If you decide to walk-in, make sure you take note of their business hours. The lunch menu is also different than their dinner menu! The crab fat noodles were just the right amount of crabby and fatty. Super rich seafood flavor and the squid ink noodles make for distinctive plating. Super delicious! Our waiter recommended the pork rib adobo over the chicken inasal. I found that the pork rib was nothing special, but the garlic rice was pretty solid. Lumpia was super crispy and the crunch factor was satisfying. They do currently have halo halo on the menu, which is seasonal! Perhaps I'll be back to try it next time! read more

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I heard about this restaurant since they won a James Beard award awhile back so wanted to try it out. My friends and I had a reservation and were seated at the bar. The service here was great and I appreciated the bartender making recommendations and explaining what certain dishes were like. We got sisig with garlic rice, crab fat noodles, Brussels sprouts and halo halo along with some beverages. The Brussels sprouts side dish came with more tofu than it did sprouts. Next time, I'll try some of their skewers. read more

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First time being here cause my friend recommend it. Trying to come in multiple time, but they either close, or have private event. Things I like: pretty flavorful. Friendly waitress. Good drink selections Potential to improve on: portion is really small compared to the price. Very limited tables so you need to reserve before coming in. I feel like it's a bit over priced for what I got. read more

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Absolutely fantastic meal. Small kitchen, big flavors! I had the crab fat noodles and Lumpiang Shanghai. They have a nice list of non-alcoholic drinks that I appreciated and the tamarind soda was perfect! Such kind servers and a welcoming street-side atmosphere that fit it's location tucked into the neighborly Clinton Street area. Six stars for sure. read more

Food, service and ambiance were incredible. The hardest part was finding parking. Overall everything is great read more

Magna Kusina - Filipino dessert Tupig - Filipino Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Came here a few nights ago and was let down. This place was recommended by friends and coworkers. I was severely disappointed. The food was not good. I don't think I enjoyed a single thing but the garlic rice. I had a couple of the skewers ( beef tongue, mushroom, and pork intestine) and they were flavorless and pretty boring. The lumpia were a little dried out and felt like they were sitting out. The sisisg was not my favorite either. Just plain disappointing. The crab fat noodles that I was highly anticipating. I wouldn't come here again. read more

Wow. Wow. Wow. What a fabulous experience at Magna Kusina. This was my first visit to this spot on Clinton Street. On a chilly but clear winter night, stepping into this cozy spot with its gorgeous decor and windows looking out was so welcoming. The staff was super friendly and had great suggestions for our orders. Everything was delicious and had a very obvious freshness and brightness to it. Even heavier dishes such as the lumpia and crab noodles were surprisingly well balanced. Perhaps it should not be a surprise given the accolades Magna Kusina has received. In addition to the dishes above, we had a great tofu and Brussels sprouts appetizer and a veggie noodle dish, along with some stellar cocktails and n/an options. Would highly recommend this place for something delightfully different on a chilly evening. read more

A very unique Filipino food experience in Portland! My friend and I tried multiple things including the crab fat noodles, duck mumba, sisig, lumpia, and a few skewers. Everything was so good and full of flavor but my two favorite things were the crab fat noodles and the sisig. I could not stop eating the two of them. The space is pretty small so I do recommend making a reservation! read more

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The food tasted just ok, although they were aesthetically pleasing. It was interesting as dishes seemed to have been creatively modified from traditional ingredients in a way that felt like a fusion approach--for example, the laing appeared to be made with collard greens instead of the usual dried leaves, and the pancit bihon had no shrimp or shrimp flavorings at all. No patis, no calamansi. In addition, the portion sizes were surprisingly small for the price. We ordered several dishes so we could sample a variety of items, and I was shocked when the bill came to over $200 for just three people. IMHO, the quality didn't match the cost, especially given the modest servings. Sorry, we're not coming back. I don't understand all the hype about this place. read more

Magna Kusina - Portland, OR I came in with really high expectations for Magna Kusina, and I have to say, the experience was a bit of a mixed bag. The Positives: First off, the staff is impressive. They were professional, attentive, and very friendly--easily a 5/5 for service. The atmosphere is also on point; from the exterior to the interior décor, it feels unique and very much rooted in Filipino culture. Drinks were also excellent, fun & intentional. Now; the food. Here's where I felt a little let down. We ordered quite a few things- Sisig - decent, but it really could've used just a pinch of salt and seasoning. A touch on the egg would've gone a long way. Crab & Squid Ink Pasta - beautiful presentation, but the sauce didn't cling to the noodles. The dish looked great but lacked depth & lacked actual crab. Chicharon (chicken skins) - crunchy and fun & the shishito peppers were killer. Sauce was killer too. Laing (LAH-ING)- not creamy at all; the coconut milk tasted watered down, and the greens lacked flavor. Laing should have a little "creamed spinach" texture, they felt like roughly chopped kale, so it wasn't really a laing. Fried Chicken - solid Filipino "style" fried chicken like Max's fried chicken. The skewers were good and I can see how they'd appeal to a foreign tongue, but as a Filipino they could've been better-- they were just lacking heart, like I expected soul in those skewers..& lastly, I'd definitely add chicken isaw, that's mandatory. I'd even consider giving the people some liver ! Overall, the flavors just felt muted--like every dish could've benefited from an extra pinch of salt and pepper or even patis (fish sauce) & for desert, Turron ice cream. Light, sweet, perfectly balanced take on traditional turon. Final Thoughts? The food wasn't bad--it just wasn't as mind-blowing as I hoped, or even nostalgic, especially given how amazing everything else about the place is. That said, I'd still encourage EVERYONE to give Magna Kusina a try. Maybe I just caught them on an off day. Big respect to the chef and staff for bringing Filipino culture to Portland in such a bold way, much love. I know this might read as harsh, but this all comes from a place of admiration & respect. I really wanted to love it. Blessings Magna Kusina ! Kaibigan. Karlo Cuesta read more

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My evening at Magna Kusina was so good! Start to finish the staff was great & their menu recommendations were really spot on. I settled on the Tanglad Sour, shrimp skewers & Sisig. The dipping sauce served with the shrimp was so good, the tart kick was the perfect pairing to the rich sticky pork in the Sisig. Yum! read more

Magna Kusina - Tanglad Sour - Filipino Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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Loved the food and I would order the moms crab fat noodles and chicken liempo again if I eat here again. The interior was very welcoming and I enjoyed the Philippine island artwork. Only issue I had was the gratuity/service charge when I had a party of 3. Would've given them a 5 star but I have to take a star away due to unnecessary gratuity/service charge. But if I had to rate them on their food, I'd definitely give this 5 star because all the dishes were yummy! read more

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This place is incredible! I visited with my partner and friend who was visiting from out of town. We ordered several dishes and loved every one. I didn't take any photos because I was too busy devouring everything. The squid ink spaghetti with soft shell crab was my favorite. It's a dish I dream about. And don't sleep on the chicharones or pig intestine skewer--both were surprising and delicious. Service was extremely friendly, and I'm already excited to go back. read more

We chose Magna to celebrate our 9th anniversary and left disappointed. We were excited to check out a restaurant focusing on Filipino food, but the service completely overshadowed the experience. Our server was friendly, but she seemed completely unfamiliar with the menu. When I asked what the "Libelula" cocktail was, she responded, "Umm... yeah... I don't know. What is that?" Why was she asking the guest??? She didn't offer to ask the bartender or another staff member. She just waited for me to order something else. She also forgot one of our dishes, mispronounced several menu items, and couldn't clearly explain the 'Tupig' dessert. It honestly felt like she hadn't taken the time to learn the menu. We also watched her step outside to use her phone multiple times while we were still waiting on our food. My husband and I work in the restaurant industry so we understand that mistakes happen. What we don't understand is an automatic 20% service charge for service that was this inattentive and unprepared. Lastly, which they can't really do anything about, the restaurant next to them allows smoking so the smoke drifts over to you if you are eating outside side. Gross. For a $200+ anniversary dinner, we expected much better. Most of all, The food deserved better representation than the service we received. read more

Dined at Magna Kusina for the first time and all that was left at the end were smiles and good memories. Carlo was the first face when we entered into the restaurant, full of energy, friendliness, and humor. The restaurant and atmosphere felt instantly like home before we were even seated. For dinner, we ordered: - Chicken and mushroom skewers: chicken was made so tender and juicy; mushroom skewers were such a creative spin! - Crab fat noodles: this was absolutely both of our favorite dishes of the night. The crab flavors were bold and powerful; the sauce was portioned just right so it was not a soupy dish; seasoning was so on point and not too salty. The soft shell crab added another fun to the dish, so yummy! A must order. - Laing (coconut collard greens): I personally enjoyed this dish, however my friend did not like the coconut flavor. The crispy shallots added to the texture which I thought was a nice touch. - Pork ribs adobo: a solid dish and meat was cooked tender, although not fall-off-the-bone. The sauce was also seasoned well, not too overpowering and salty. I also loved the bok choy and scallions garnish! My friend ordered the drink special and loved it. All in all, it was a fantastic experience dining here. I will for sure be back and recommend it! read more

We recently came here for a late lunch and glad that we made the choice to dine here. The service was nice and hospitable. We were welcomed immediately and offered a seat. We ordered a few things to share and everything we had was great. I really like their Pancit Bihon and Willie's Pork Rib Adobo. The meat was very tender and easy to chew. Overall, we had a great time here and left satisfied. read more

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There's so much good Filipino food in Portland but this is a place I would come back over and over again! I can see why this place won a James beard award because the experience was amazing. My party of 4 had made a reservation and we were quickly seated - I'm not sure how easy walk-ins are but it's a pretty small (but intimate) restaurant. Our waiter was very kind and prompt with getting our orders. I started off with a butterbeer cocktail which was so cute! It was a warm drink but I loved the cool whipped cream to balance things out. All the food was delicious and in perfect shareable portions - some of the standouts were the lumpia, sisig, and the crab fat noodles. The sisig had the perfect crispiness and I cannot wait to go back for that again! read more

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Cute and small spot with tasty Filipino food. Nothing seemed overly inventive at lunch, but the crab noodles were the clear standout with a soft shell crab on top. The homemade hot chili sauce was great and the lumpia and pork adobo were both very good. Nothing blew me away unfortunately. I do wish they had cocktails at brunch because that would have been a nice addition but we'll have to come back for dinner. The menu seems to have a few more inventive dishes during dinner time and exciting cocktails. All in all a solid spot with kind service. read more

Magna Kusina - Lumpia - Filipino Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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The food and drinks were amazing! We got crab fat noodles, sisig, lumpia, Pancit Molo Talong, laing. All met or exceeded my expectations and the best one in my opinion was the sisig! Reminded me of being in the Philippines. We also got the hot butterbeer and (non alcoholic) pandan dreams for drinks, which were both delicious. The house made ube ice cream was delectable! Our server was so attentive, but not overbearing. He was pleasant with good energy, took the time to answer our questions and check in, and make us feel welcome. The ambiance was nice as well- the lighting was warm and not harsh. The beautiful plants also brightened up the place! read more

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Small intimate venue in the Clinton St neighborhood. You will definitely need a reservation here, so plan accordingly, but it will be worth it! It is a Cozy restaurant with seating for ~30 and a few outdoor heated pods. Service was great, very much a laidback Portland feel. I ordered the pork belly skewer and the crab fat noodles. Both were delicious and flavorful. Being my first time in a Fillipino restaurant, I was unfamiliar with the flavor profiles, and I still don't know how to describe it.... But it was tasty! read more

Magna Kusina - Crab fat noodles - Filipino Near Me - Portland, Oregon

This is one of my favorite restaurants in Portland. The food always blows me away it's so good! I've probably ordered 1/3 of the menu by now and everything has been amazing. After finishing the meal I sat there so dang happy it was that good. read more

Magna Kusina - The ribs melted off the bone and were full of flavor. A must! - Filipino Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Stopped here for lunch and I'm glad we did because the food was delicious. There was a street fair going on but we were able to get seated inside right away. They also have outdoor seating. The lunch menu has a few dishes on it, all sound delicious and we loved what we got. I do wish that we came for dinner though. A lot of the stuff I saw on the Yelp page and reviews were dishes off the dinner menu. Also they only serve liquor and cocktails at dinner; beer and wine only at lunch. Service was great! Super friendly and explained the menu well. read more

So glad we made a reservation for 4 at 5pm on a Saturday because this place filled up fast! The tables are a little close together, but it kind of adds to the vibe. Felt like we were at a lively Filipino house party, with lots of convo, the smell of food in the air, and you can hear the kitchen doing its thing. We ordered a bunch of dishes to share and honestly loved almost everything: The sisig and lumpia were good starters. The sisig comes with a soft boiled egg which was a nice touch. We ordered 2 orders of lumpia, they are like mini lumpia. The mushroom adobo and pancit bihon were flavorful and comforting. You couldn't even tell there wasn't any meat in the mushroom adobo. The pancit was pretty traditional. Mom's crab fat noodles (we added the soft shell crab) were rich and super satisfying. If you like crab, this is the one for you. Noodles were a little soft in my opinion but I prefer a more Al dente noodle. Garlic rice was a must on the side. It had fried garlic pieces topped/mixed in so it wasn't overly garlicky. The grilled steak kare kare was the favorite. It comes with bone marrow and a delicious savory peanut sauce. Not super saucy like the usual stew but more like you should dip the meat in the sauce, but still sooo good. For drinks, the Pinoy daiquiri was strong (in a good way) and great to sip throughout the meal. The Bahala Na Cream Fizz was beautiful and balanced. Service was great, friendly and efficient. Food came out in waves so we had time to enjoy each dish, and they cleared plates as we finished which kept the table from getting crowded. Loved the little detail of the check coming in a Spam can it was such a fun touch! Portions are good for sharing (2 people per dish), but if you're with a bigger group, maybe double up on favorites. Parking is street-only, so give yourself a little extra time in case you have to walk a bit. Overall, an awesome modern take on Filipino food. It was playful, delicious, and super homey. read more

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This is a small cozy Filipino restaurant along the cool vibe of Clinton St. I were lucking to get a table on a Saturday night, so reservations is recommended. The group behind us had to wait 40 minutes or more. I went in not quite knowing what to expect, but the limited menu works in their favor, letting the kitchen focus on doing a few things really well. The indoor seating area had an easygoing and local feel, but was a little noisy at times. I ordered the pork rib adobo with a savory flavor, although the meat was a little tough to pull off the bone. Added a side of garlic rice and a cold beer rounded out the meal nicely. read more

Magna Kusina - Pork Adobo with a side of Sinangag (garlic fried rice) - Filipino Near Me - Portland, Oregon