My girlfriend and I were excited to try Magna Kusina after a glowing referral from a trusted friend. We arrived on time for our 7pm reservation and were promptly seated.Our server, Tim, was very friendly and knowledgeable about the various menu items. He instantly made us feel welcomed and answered all of our questions. My girlfriend and I shared an order of Lumpia, Pancit Bihon, and Longanisa followed by Biko for dessert.The food was flavorful and the temperature was spot on. Throughout dinner, Tim was very attentive and made sure we were taken care of.By 8:07pm (1 hour & 7 minutes after being seated), we finished our main course and dessert.As we were paying, the host told us we have to hurry up because they need our table. This put a damper on an otherwise excellent night of dining out.I normally would not return due to the host telling us we needed to hurry after just an hour and seven minutes of being seated, but Tim's excellent service made up for the host's lack of restaurant decorum.I recommend Magna Kusina based on the food and Tim's attentiveness and hope my experience with the host was a one-off.
As an out of towner, this was probably my favorite meal in Portland! Everything was sooo flavorful and delicious! The host was able to get us a table outside. It was covered and the heater kept us warm! Our server was so nice and fun to talk to. This place warmed my heart! Definitely a must if you’re visiting and ESPECIALLY if you live there!!
This was my first time trying Filipino food and I’ve got to say this was such an amazing experience. The food was outstanding the service amazing such friendly people, I was treated like I was part of family. The owner came out and chatted with us making us feel comfortable. I will definitely be coming back the next time I’m in Portland this will be my go to restaurant.
Amazing!! The staff were so nice and gave great suggestions since this was our first time having Filipino food! I had the Mabuhay Mojito which was the best cocktail I’ve had in a long time! We ordered the Lumpia, Sisig, and Pancit Miki-Bihon which were all delicious, but the Sisig was especially delightful! Can’t wait to come again!
Our favorite Filipino restaurant in PDX! The food is incredible, but even better is the amazing service. You're welcomed in like family and the warm, friendly service lasts your entire time here. The sisig is amazing, and the lumpia is great. I suggest getting one order of lumpia for every two people. Don't miss the dessert! Their biko is delicious!
The two months it takes to get a reservation are well worth the wait! We we're a party of four eating inside. We arrived a little bit early so they set up the heater for us outside so we could wait and comfort until the previous guests finished. The wait time was not long, but the service staff gave us complimentary wine for the wait. We wanted to try a lot of things and so the waiter suggested that we order the menu. That means we literally ordered everything on the menu. What an adventure! From the noodle dishes to the vegetarian dishes to the meat dishes everything far exceeded our expectations! This is a great place to go with friends or on a special night with that someone. Everyone is very gracious and it was a great experience.
Good food… Great Ambiance … feels like home away from home ❤️
Terrific drinks! I had the Ooobe Fiz & hubby got the mojito❤️ crews were attentive and (specially Tim)cheerful (looks like they really enjoy what they do) food was really great (sisig, lumpia, bihon, pork BBQ, Isaw and balot!!! And yes the Biko , sosyal Biko? Got the chance to chika with the award winning owner/chef Carlo Lamagna
Where do I start to share about such a delectable evening? We made reservations weeks ago. The waiting was hard but oh, so worth it. It's not just the energetic vibe as you walk in, but that is so welcoming. Watching Chef Carlo call out orders and oversee each dish prepared for each table is amazing. And of course, there is the food, the heart of the evening. Oh man, the unique flavors of Filipino cuisine ... both traditional and many twists from the @twistedfilipino himself. Perhaps the most memorable ending was for Chef Carlo to join us at the table, reminisce of his life in the Philippines, in English for us, in Filipino for the Sampans. Carlo is a gracious host who offers each patron a fabulous meal to remember, and leaves us ready to book our next reservation. #magnakusina #chefcarlolamagna #jamesbeardnominee #foodandwinebestnewchef2021 #foodandwine #twistedfilipinocuisine
First, the good. Our server was awesome. There's outdoor seating, and the atmosphere inside is lively. Our party ordered almost everything on the menu except for the steak. Overall, the food was fairly priced. The quality was good, but not remarkable. We ordered a bottle of wine, made with a Hungarian grape, which was pretty awful: my partner said the finish tasted like DEET, and I agree. I'm glad I went, but I won't be going back.