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Food Quality & Taste- 3.5 Overall, the food is good. But based on the hype, I was a little disappointed. Standouts? The fried chicken! I loved the fried chicken. And the toast on the scallop toast, was great as well. The Scallop toast, overall, was not as great as I had heard. Service- 4/5 Service was good. It was a little slow, but the server was courteous and responsive to requests. Atmosphere- 3/5 The atmosphere is okay. It's a small restaurant with a semi-open kitchen. It's a little dark, a little crowded, and a little hot, in my opinion. Value- 3/5 Overall, the value was fine. The wait time, the atmosphere, and regular tasting food do not make up for the high pricing, unfortunately. If you get a reservation, I recommend you check it out for yourself, but I would not recommend waiting in a long line for lunch. Opportunities for Learning- 4/5 This is a traditional Cambodian restaurant, with traditional Cambodian and pan-Asian dishes. Many of the dishes are described in their original language. So you might have to Google. There are also some cool/ interesting flavor combinations, so there's an opportunity to learn there as well.
Reservation via opentable. Difficult to get. Opens noon on first month Service was friendly. Can always ask for recs. The interior was small and intimate. Green Thai Tea - Very fragrant. Not overly sugary. Grilled saht koh - juicy. Cooked nicely. One piece. Nice char. Comes w radish Mahope Samut - scallops are cooked well. Nice sear. Curry rich in flavor - a little too much in my opinion. Came with a red thai chili pepper on top so a little kick Head on shrimp - a must get for the apps. No picking required. Eat it full on. I never ate head of shrimp prior. No regrets and would go for multiple Banh Chow Salad - a little too much mint, the dressing is really tangy which I really enjoyed Khao soi noodles - rich, creamy. Not overpowering. Nice crunch from the fried ramen and has a hint of spicyness that pleasant and not overbearing. Duck noodles - cold noodles, strong in pb. Not something I necessarily enjoyed All star fried rice - Seafood cooked nicely, it has 2 pieces of scallops and one uni on top. Flavorful. Like the flavors. The sauce on the side isnt spicy at all - more like a sweet chili. Best main of the bunch I tried. Would get again
Just wow to start. Our waitress Taylor was friendly and knowledgeable. She described each menu item in detail. We were a party of four, so we were given the Puck and See menu. The chef decides what to send out and not one item disappointed. We started with fresh salads, then we we had clams on a delightful, savory sauce. There was a ribeye skewer thrown in. But the ribeye main was something unforgettable. There were so many items, we couldn't finish it or keep up. I can see why the reservations are impossible to get. This place is fabulous on every front. The dessert of rice pudding and funnel cake finished up the meal so nicely, I think I'm ruined for other places for a while.
Philadelphia's food scene never disappoints and Mawn proves it. Along the same strip as popular Angelo's Pizzeria is Mawn, a Cambodian restaurant worth visiting. Walking in around 5:45pm on a Friday evening in June without a reservation, I was able to get a table for 45 minutes within five minutes. Here's my experience. 1) Food: Wow- just wow. Everything is excellent. To feed a hungry stomach, I ordered the Garlicky Cabbage, Yellow Curry Noodle Soup with Chicken, and my server gifted me with the Grilled Saht Koh as a surprise. Everything had textured flavors that are well balanced. The winner for me was the Garlicky Cabbage. Having grown up in a country where cabbage is the staple, these are among the best I've ever had. I'll note that I was warned that the Yellow Curry Noodle Soup was spicy. I love spice but can't handle it. I was unaffected by the soup's spice level. 2) Drinks: The Thai green iced tea was unique, refreshing, and delicious! I almost ordered a second. Like many places in Philly, it's BYOB so there isn't a cocktail, beer, wine menu. 3) Service: It was excellent. Taylor, my server, was passionate about the menu, personable, and interesting to talk to. She's awesome! 4) Location: In South Philly, there's a lot to experience nearby from top-rated restaurants, parks, and public art.
I lucked up and was able to be seated here twice. Best meal of the winter. The place is small, music plays in background but not too lould so you can't have a conversation. Food is fresh, well flavored and some of the cold pasta dishes might surprise you. I was disappointed to be served cold pasta without a heads up from my server but I did enjoy the flavors presented. Spacious bathrooms. Staff seem to rotate from host to server. Tight spaced restaurant (any to go boxes/doggy bags have to be placed on floor bc there's no space). Host was accommodating, knowledgeable, and confident in delivery. Pride of ownership still reigns in the earned reputation humbly making the dining experience exceptional.
One of my favorite restaurants in America. I've been multiple times and it has always been consistent.
Went for lunch, got there around 10:30 line was right at the end of the block. Didn't make the first round but got seated around 12:30/1. They'll put you on the list and will call your name in 45 mins to an hour later for your table. The food is AMAZING! Every dish was bursting with flavor and they had a couple dinner items like the skewer and rice. So glad we got to finally have Mawn! If you're ever able to get a dinner reservation...I'm jealous! Waiting for lunch is just a great!!
Absolutely amazing and absolutely worth the hype!!! The dishes are so unique and the flavors are something you don't get elsewhere unless you grew up around a Cambodian household. The flavors are so elevated and there isn't a restaurant that you can compare. I've been there twice and tried to get different things off the menu each time and everything hits. There honestly was not one thing we didn't. I also love that it's still a BYOB. If it is your first time, they do have a tasting menu but it's so nice and flexible because if there's something on the menu that you really want to try in the category, you have the option to pick that. Or you can just be surprised !
Easily one of our new favorite restaurants in Philly! I just wish it was easier to get a resy. We decided to get 3 shareables, a main dish, and a noodle. We started with the papaya salad which had the perfect kick to it and is so light and refreshing. The soft shell shrimp really is worth the hype and it comes with 6 shrimp which is more than I was expecting. And then we got the bahn chow salad which I enjoyed but was a bit soggy, slightly less dressing would've made it perfect. We also decided to add the scallop toast special and it ended up being our favorite bite of the night! Everything about it was perfect. We also ordered the crab fried rice which is absolutely packed with crab! And the Khao soi was so cozy and delicious. We'll 100% be going back and hopefully snagging a reservation to their sister restaurant Sao as well!
Came here for lunch for my daughter's birthday last month. Her request. (Reservation not accepted during lunch.) 2 3/4 hours wait with a $200+ bill. Was it worth it? YES! Very delicious, authentic with a twist, and fresh. Service is also exceptional. I don't think you can go wrong with ordering anything off the menu. If you're unsure, the servers will give you their own honest opinion.
Really loved stopping here for lunch to take advantage of walk-in service! Super easy and a great way to try Mawn if you can't manage to get a dinner res. We tried favorites / server recs like crab fried rice and prahok dip (both great) but we ended up loving the curry soup the best. Next time, we really want to try the rice pudding!
TLDR: wait is worth it! If you have an opportunity to go, would highly recommend! We arrived 15 minutes before opening and waited 45 minutes in line, just to get our names on the waitlist. Upon getting our names on, we waited 1 hour and 20 minutes - the process is a bit inefficient in that you're expected to be nearby and they will call out your name when your table is ready. While there is a lunch menu, they served a couple of dinner options too - so we got the All Star Seafood Fried Rice, which is definitely a splurge. But I really enjoyed the Yellow Curry Noodles with Chicken - very similar to Khao Soi, but more flavorful and has a slight kick that makes it even more addicting. Every dish was so delicious and I wish I wasn't so full so I could try their desserts!
For starters, dinner reservations are literally impossible to snag! Reservations are released on the first day of each month at noon. I set multiple alarms and was on OpenTable at 11:58 AM refreshing constantly. At 12 o'clock when I tried to book a reservation, they were all gone! Long story short I was unable to dine here for dinner, but I was able to dine for lunch. I arrived on a Friday around 11:30 and there was already a line outside the building. I put my name on the list for two people and was told to come back in about an hour. We grabbed coffee around the corner and returned an hour later, but there were still five tables ahead of us. We wound end up waiting for about 30 more minutes before getting a table around 1:30 pm. The service was very fast, pleasant, and attentive. (Also keep in mind that this place is BYOB so the waitress uncorked our wine and set it in ice for us as well.) We ordered the following, listed in no particular order: 1) head on soft shell shrimp- my fave bite of the lunch! The caramelized fish sauce was perfect. 2) Cambodian papaya salad - this was good, but not great. It just needed some spice. 3) yellow curry noodle soup with crab - this was my least favorite. The flavor was very mellow and mild; it definitely would've benefited from a spicy dip/sauce to go along, like a jeow bong. 4) twice fried chicken - also did not love this as the chicken was not breaded so it wasn't very crispy. The fish sauce glaze was good but again a breading would've really helped to really lock in the fish sauce glaze. 5) lemongrass beef skewers - delicious! Very tender. 6) funnel cake - the flavor was good, but it was a soggy funnel cake. Funnel cakes should be crispy! While I wasn't wow by the food overall like I had hoped to be, it was good. I would like to snag a dinner reservation in the future because I feel like the dinner would actually blow me away.
Was finally able to grab ANOTHER coveted Mawn reservation after a year of trying for 4:30pm (right as they opened) on a Thursday night! This time having had one visit under my belt, we decided against the chef's tasting (no hard feelings, just didn't want to end up with another whole fish) and not a single thing disappointed. We started off with the head on soft shell shrimp, mahope samut seared scallops, and burmese ginger & melon salad which were all so fresh. I think of the group my favorite was still the tasty head on soft shell shrimp. For our mains to share we tackled the all star seafood fried rice that was prepared with uni, lump crab, bay scallops, shrimp, crab fat butter, trout roe and then also had the delectable yellow curry noodle soup that featured blended coconut curry, shaved cabbage, long beans, herbs, peanuts, and we chose chicken as our protein. For two people it was MORE than enough to share and we even ended up taking home a portion of the fried rice. For desert we had the jasmine rice pudding which was to DIE FOR and really icing on the cake to a perfect meal. The service was prompt, pleasant, and the staff very frequently changed our plates and silverware which I'm coming to expect in "hard to get" restaurant experiences. The venue itself is small and intimate, but you don't feel squished in the slightest. Cannot wait to be back in another year! read more
After TWO years of waiting and almost two hours in line, I finally, finally tried this highly anticipated restaurant. And honestly? I'm really glad I did. Overall, I had a great experience. Is it the best restaurant in Philly? Personally, no. But is it a very good restaurant and worth trying? Absolutely. Is it worth standing in line for almost two hours? As someone who absolutely does NOT enjoy waiting in line... personally, no . But thankfully, the food and experience made up for it. My favorites of the night: Grilled satay + beef skewers with lemongrass ...delicious. The beef was so flavorful, and paired with the papaya salad? Perfect. Papaya salad : 10/10. Probably my favorite thing I ate all night. Fresh, flavorful, and something I could easily order again. Crispy prawns : 10/10. Crispy, flavorful, and just really well done. Seafood fried rice : 8/10. Very good and full of flavor. Definitely something I'd order again. I also tried the oxtail stew, which was probably my least favorite, about a 5/10 for me. And the fried chicken was cooked and fried perfectly, but I thought it was a little underseasoned. Solid 6/10. The drinks weren't really my favorite either, but honestly, there were still so many other things on the menu I wanted to try. I definitely feel like I need another visit to explore more of it. And I have to give a HUGE shoutout to the service. Our waiters were exceptional. Probably some of the best service I've had in a restaurant in Philly. They made us feel so welcome and comfortable, and there was something really warm and familiar about the whole experience. It genuinely felt like I was eating at my family's restaurant back home and that feeling meant a lot to me. The restaurant itself is also super cute and cozy. Very intimate, warm, and personal. Overall: 7/10 for me. Worth trying? Yes. Would I wait two hours in line again? Nah Would I come back? Yes, especially because there are still so many things I want to try. read more
13 days ago
Business owner information
Rachel L.
Hey Anna, Thank you for your feedback. Please know, We don’t claim to…
17 days ago
Food Quality & Taste- 3.5 Overall, the food is good. But based on the hype, I was a little disappointed. Standouts? The fried chicken! I loved the fried chicken. And the toast on the scallop toast, was great as well. The Scallop toast, overall, was not as great as I had heard. Service- 4/5 Service was good. It was a little slow, but the server was courteous and responsive to requests. Atmosphere- 3/5 The atmosphere is okay. It's a small restaurant with a semi-open kitchen. It's a little dark, a little crowded, and a little hot, in my opinion. Value- 3/5 Overall, the value was fine. The wait time, the atmosphere, and regular tasting food do not make up for the high pricing, unfortunately. If you get a reservation, I recommend you check it out for yourself, but I would not recommend waiting in a long line for lunch. Opportunities for Learning- 4/5 This is a traditional Cambodian restaurant, with traditional Cambodian and pan-Asian dishes. Many of the dishes are described in their original language. So you might have to Google. There are also some cool/ interesting flavor combinations, so there's an opportunity to learn there as well. read more
Business owner information
Rachel L.
1 star from us.…
2 months ago
Reservation via opentable. Difficult to get. Opens noon on first month Service was friendly. Can always ask for recs. The interior was small and intimate. Green Thai Tea - Very fragrant. Not overly sugary. Grilled saht koh - juicy. Cooked nicely. One piece. Nice char. Comes w radish Mahope Samut - scallops are cooked well. Nice sear. Curry rich in flavor - a little too much in my opinion. Came with a red thai chili pepper on top so a little kick Head on shrimp - a must get for the apps. No picking required. Eat it full on. I never ate head of shrimp prior. No regrets and would go for multiple Banh Chow Salad - a little too much mint, the dressing is really tangy which I really enjoyed Khao soi noodles - rich, creamy. Not overpowering. Nice crunch from the fried ramen and has a hint of spicyness that pleasant and not overbearing. Duck noodles - cold noodles, strong in pb. Not something I necessarily enjoyed All star fried rice - Seafood cooked nicely, it has 2 pieces of scallops and one uni on top. Flavorful. Like the flavors. The sauce on the side isnt spicy at all - more like a sweet chili. Best main of the bunch I tried. Would get again read more
26 days ago
Just wow to start. Our waitress Taylor was friendly and knowledgeable. She described each menu item in detail. We were a party of four, so we were given the Puck and See menu. The chef decides what to send out and not one item disappointed. We started with fresh salads, then we we had clams on a delightful, savory sauce. There was a ribeye skewer thrown in. But the ribeye main was something unforgettable. There were so many items, we couldn't finish it or keep up. I can see why the reservations are impossible to get. This place is fabulous on every front. The dessert of rice pudding and funnel cake finished up the meal so nicely, I think I'm ruined for other places for a while. read more
Philadelphia's food scene never disappoints and Mawn proves it. Along the same strip as popular Angelo's Pizzeria is Mawn, a Cambodian restaurant worth visiting. Walking in around 5:45pm on a Friday evening in June without a reservation, I was able to get a table for 45 minutes within five minutes. Here's my experience. 1) Food: Wow- just wow. Everything is excellent. To feed a hungry stomach, I ordered the Garlicky Cabbage, Yellow Curry Noodle Soup with Chicken, and my server gifted me with the Grilled Saht Koh as a surprise. Everything had textured flavors that are well balanced. The winner for me was the Garlicky Cabbage. Having grown up in a country where cabbage is the staple, these are among the best I've ever had. I'll note that I was warned that the Yellow Curry Noodle Soup was spicy. I love spice but can't handle it. I was unaffected by the soup's spice level. 2) Drinks: The Thai green iced tea was unique, refreshing, and delicious! I almost ordered a second. Like many places in Philly, it's BYOB so there isn't a cocktail, beer, wine menu. 3) Service: It was excellent. Taylor, my server, was passionate about the menu, personable, and interesting to talk to. She's awesome! 4) Location: In South Philly, there's a lot to experience nearby from top-rated restaurants, parks, and public art. read more
I lucked up and was able to be seated here twice. Best meal of the winter. The place is small, music plays in background but not too lould so you can't have a conversation. Food is fresh, well flavored and some of the cold pasta dishes might surprise you. I was disappointed to be served cold pasta without a heads up from my server but I did enjoy the flavors presented. Spacious bathrooms. Staff seem to rotate from host to server. Tight spaced restaurant (any to go boxes/doggy bags have to be placed on floor bc there's no space). Host was accommodating, knowledgeable, and confident in delivery. Pride of ownership still reigns in the earned reputation humbly making the dining experience exceptional. read more
Went for lunch, got there around 10:30 line was right at the end of the block. Didn't make the first round but got seated around 12:30/1. They'll put you on the list and will call your name in 45 mins to an hour later for your table. The food is AMAZING! Every dish was bursting with flavor and they had a couple dinner items like the skewer and rice. So glad we got to finally have Mawn! If you're ever able to get a dinner reservation...I'm jealous! Waiting for lunch is just a great!! read more
1 day ago
2 months ago
Absolutely amazing and absolutely worth the hype!!! The dishes are so unique and the flavors are something you don't get elsewhere unless you grew up around a Cambodian household. The flavors are so elevated and there isn't a restaurant that you can compare. I've been there twice and tried to get different things off the menu each time and everything hits. There honestly was not one thing we didn't. I also love that it's still a BYOB. If it is your first time, they do have a tasting menu but it's so nice and flexible because if there's something on the menu that you really want to try in the category, you have the option to pick that. Or you can just be surprised ! read more
Easily one of our new favorite restaurants in Philly! I just wish it was easier to get a resy. We decided to get 3 shareables, a main dish, and a noodle. We started with the papaya salad which had the perfect kick to it and is so light and refreshing. The soft shell shrimp really is worth the hype and it comes with 6 shrimp which is more than I was expecting. And then we got the bahn chow salad which I enjoyed but was a bit soggy, slightly less dressing would've made it perfect. We also decided to add the scallop toast special and it ended up being our favorite bite of the night! Everything about it was perfect. We also ordered the crab fried rice which is absolutely packed with crab! And the Khao soi was so cozy and delicious. We'll 100% be going back and hopefully snagging a reservation to their sister restaurant Sao as well! read more
8 months ago
Came here for lunch for my daughter's birthday last month. Her request. (Reservation not accepted during lunch.) 2 3/4 hours wait with a $200+ bill. Was it worth it? YES! Very delicious, authentic with a twist, and fresh. Service is also exceptional. I don't think you can go wrong with ordering anything off the menu. If you're unsure, the servers will give you their own honest opinion. read more
7 months ago
Really loved stopping here for lunch to take advantage of walk-in service! Super easy and a great way to try Mawn if you can't manage to get a dinner res. We tried favorites / server recs like crab fried rice and prahok dip (both great) but we ended up loving the curry soup the best. Next time, we really want to try the rice pudding! read more
TLDR: wait is worth it! If you have an opportunity to go, would highly recommend! We arrived 15 minutes before opening and waited 45 minutes in line, just to get our names on the waitlist. Upon getting our names on, we waited 1 hour and 20 minutes - the process is a bit inefficient in that you're expected to be nearby and they will call out your name when your table is ready. While there is a lunch menu, they served a couple of dinner options too - so we got the All Star Seafood Fried Rice, which is definitely a splurge. But I really enjoyed the Yellow Curry Noodles with Chicken - very similar to Khao Soi, but more flavorful and has a slight kick that makes it even more addicting. Every dish was so delicious and I wish I wasn't so full so I could try their desserts! read more
9 months ago
For starters, dinner reservations are literally impossible to snag! Reservations are released on the first day of each month at noon. I set multiple alarms and was on OpenTable at 11:58 AM refreshing constantly. At 12 o'clock when I tried to book a reservation, they were all gone! Long story short I was unable to dine here for dinner, but I was able to dine for lunch. I arrived on a Friday around 11:30 and there was already a line outside the building. I put my name on the list for two people and was told to come back in about an hour. We grabbed coffee around the corner and returned an hour later, but there were still five tables ahead of us. We wound end up waiting for about 30 more minutes before getting a table around 1:30 pm. The service was very fast, pleasant, and attentive. (Also keep in mind that this place is BYOB so the waitress uncorked our wine and set it in ice for us as well.) We ordered the following, listed in no particular order: 1) head on soft shell shrimp- my fave bite of the lunch! The caramelized fish sauce was perfect. 2) Cambodian papaya salad - this was good, but not great. It just needed some spice. 3) yellow curry noodle soup with crab - this was my least favorite. The flavor was very mellow and mild; it definitely would've benefited from a spicy dip/sauce to go along, like a jeow bong. 4) twice fried chicken - also did not love this as the chicken was not breaded so it wasn't very crispy. The fish sauce glaze was good but again a breading would've really helped to really lock in the fish sauce glaze. 5) lemongrass beef skewers - delicious! Very tender. 6) funnel cake - the flavor was good, but it was a soggy funnel cake. Funnel cakes should be crispy! While I wasn't wow by the food overall like I had hoped to be, it was good. I would like to snag a dinner reservation in the future because I feel like the dinner would actually blow me away. read more
Raise your hand if you started the New Year at one of the TOP restaurants in Philly!!! I can't believe I get to kick-off my new Yelp season with a birthday reservation at Mawn. I am still pinching myself trying to figure out how it all happened. I had been eyeing reservations at Mawn for a while, but couldn't snag anything. I finally prayed and set a bunch of alerts. During my drive home one day, I got an alert and I immediately snagged the reservation I had been hoping for. I was crazy excited to celebrate my bday at Mawn. I arrived at the restaurant, which is in the Italian Mkt. I actually got there a few mins early, so I could walk around a bit. Parking wasn't bad at all on a Friday at 4:00 pm. The door opened promptly at 4:30 and we were seated immediately at a table near the window in a nice quaint corner of the restaurant. Our waitress approached us with an upbeat demeanor and explained all of the menu options along with the specials. We opted to try the scallop toast and clams to start. I went with the whole fish and Thai crab fried rice for my entrees. My partner went with the steak and prahok for an entree. Our appetizers arrived fast. We were eating them within the first 15 mins. The scallop toast was divine!!!!!!! The scallops and orange marmalade along with the roe were so flavorful. I couldn't get enough of how all of the flavors complimented each other. The clams were rich and buttery. The broth that accompanied them was so good, I saved it to pour over my rice. I must admit, I would revisit Mawn just for the appetizers alone. Up next, the Thai crab fried rice arrived and it was steaming hot. We dove into that since it was enough for two people to share. I loved the large pieces of crab as they were tender and the rice was cooked perfectly. My whole fish arrived and our waitress was so kind to de-bone it table side. She did a fantastic job bc I would have never been able to remove the entire spine from the fish. I found the fish to be flaky, tender, and seasoned by the special ginger broth that accompanied it. It was absolutely delicious. My partner loved his steak and stated it was seasoned well. We were so full, but opted to try the banana coconut rice pudding. I'm soooo happy we did. The rice pudding was rich with the perfect hints of coconut and banana. Even the whipped cream was noteworthy. I don't think I have ever had a rice pudding that was so good!! I had to order a separate order "to go!" Am I greedy? Yes! My Mawn experience was nothing short of AMAZING!! I would proudly tell everyone to set as many alerts as possible so you too can enjoy the flavors, hospitality and overall excellence of Mawn. read more
3 months ago
After hearing so much about MAWN, we decided to celebrate our anniversary here. Thank God we were able to get a reservation because this place absolutely lived up to the hype. From the food to the service, every part of the experience felt thoughtful, intentional, and genuinely memorable. It's the kind of restaurant that reminds you why dining out can be so special. The space itself is cozy, intimate, and full of character. The unique design creates a warm, welcoming atmosphere that makes you want to settle in and enjoy every course rather than rush through the meal. The service deserves every bit of a 10/10. All of the servers were incredibly attentive, knowledgeable, and passionate about the menu. Since several dishes and ingredients were unfamiliar to us, they took the time to explain each one, answer our questions, and offer recommendations without making us feel rushed. That guidance gave us the confidence to step outside of our comfort zone, and every recommendation paid off. We ordered the Mawn Noodle Soup, Grilled Saht Koh, Mahope Samut, Steak and Prohok, Thai Crab Fried Rice, and ended the evening with the Funnel Cake. Every dish was beautifully plated and packed with bold, balanced flavors. The Steak and Prohok was refreshing and full of flavor in every bite. The Grilled Saht Koh had a perfect char and was cooked beautifully. The Mahope Samut was exceptional, with tender, perfectly seared scallops. Both this and the Saht Koh were perfect starters. The Mawn Noodle Soup was incredibly comforting with layers of flavor and easily one of the highlights of the meal. The Thai Crab Fried Rice was another standout--light, fragrant, and loaded with fresh crab, making it much more than just a side dish. And somehow, after such an incredible meal, the Funnel Cake still managed to steal the show. It was the perfect ending: crisp, indulgent, and not overly sweet. It's easy to see why MAWN has earned such a loyal following. Exceptional hospitality, creative dishes that are executed with precision, and an atmosphere that feels both relaxed and special make this one of the best dining experiences I've had in Philadelphia. We'll absolutely be back, and next time, I'll be ordering the dishes we loved while making room to explore even more of the menu! read more
9 months ago
Had to wait about an hour to get seated but have been dying to try this place. I went for lunch (they don't take reservations). Got there about 12:30. They don't serve any hot beverages but I really enjoyed the green tea although it is very sweet. I got the hot dog which was tasty and filling. Ended up taking most of the fried rice to go. read more
Enjoying lunch at Mawn felt like I had won the lottery!! If you know how hard it is to secure a reservation than you know the feeling! So you might stumble across info for the best times to secure a walk-up reservation and they'll tell you to arrive at least by 10:30am Thursday through Saturday as Mawn opens at 11am. But let me tell you how I pulled up in front of Mawn at 10:40am on a Thursday and there was already a line of about 15 people!! Mind you, these people have PEOPLEZ as quite a few were holding spots in line for others in their party who could now casually stroll up to the line since their spot was secured by their people. I'm telling you have a game plan! If I knew then what I know now I probably would have got there at least by 9:30, seriously. My party got waitlisted as soon as we were just one person away from entering the restaurant and we had to wait for another 40 minutes. Fortunately it was a nice day so we just walked around the neighborhood and came back and got in. It's a small quaint place that only seats about 28 people. You'll feel like your visiting your favorite relatives home. You'll glance around at the other guest and feel like WOW i'm one of the few who finally made it into one of the most coveted highly acclaimed restaurants in Philly! Now let me see if it lives up to the hype! haha! I started out with the pear melon salad. It was light and refreshing. I thoroughly enjoyed the citrus notes and the pear slices. I would have never thought to add the pear but that really complimented the salad well. I was told that a MUST try is the head on soft shell shrimp. At first I wasn't thrilled about the thought of eating the head but said what the heck, lets go for the full experience! If you love softshell crabs you'll love this! There was nothing off putting about it. It simply taste like delicious premium shrimp in a fish caramel sauce with a hint of thai basil and chili. It was wonderful. I could have gone for a second round but I wanted to try other items. I enjoyed the seafood fried rice..this is similar to the crab fried rice but included uni roe and caviar with saracha on the side so you can regulate your heat level. I'll say this, while I enjoyed the seafood fried rice and the bonus elements of it, I was not a fan of the texture of the rice itself. Perhaps it's just my preference. The rice was light, fluffy and slightly sticky in texture whereas I prefer more of a thai fried rice which is dry, slightly firm and non-clumpy texture. But that's not taking any cool points away from Mawn. It's just my preference that i'm mentioning in case anyone else goes in expecting a different texture. I love the team service aspect at Mawn. Our waiter emphasized that we're not bugging anybody if we need anything we can stop any staff person walking by. I love that. Beef Noodle soup is delicous here. So is the yellow curry noodle soup. The fish is really good here too. I didn't realize I could have requested for it to be deboned (probably because I was talking to much lol) But my waiter was kind enough to come over and help me debone it when they saw I was struggling lol This was the first time I ever had a green thai tea! It was really a treat. Not overly sweet. Nothing but pure deliciousness here! And a super helpful warm friendly staff. read more
4 months ago
Mawn was really worth the hype! Everything was delicious! But the funnel cake is something that keeps me up at night. Service was great! The restaurant is small with very few tables. read more
Went here on a whim while visiting because a friend of ours recommended. Be prepared to wait for two hours outside the restaurant but once we got in and were able to eat-the food was SOOOO GOOD. It's very small in the restaurant-very cozy and homey. Our server helped explain the menu items. we had both noodle soups, papaya salad, the fried shrimp, the fried rice. It tasted as good as it smelled. I recommend going with a group to try multiple entrees. Come Hungry! read more
2 months ago
Finally snagged a reservation here after trying on OpenTable for awhile. I've never had Cambodian food before but had been hearing about the hype for a long time. We went on a random weekday at 4:30. As soon as you come in here, it smells amazing. We started off with the head on soft shell shrimp, grilled saht koh, and the scallop toast special. I enjoyed all of them. Wasn't a big fan of the scallop toast but I don't think I have had raw scallops before and the texture freaked me out a little. For our entrees, we had the all star seafood fried rice and the khao soi. These were both AMAZING, definitely the best dishes of the night. For dessert, we had the funnel cake which was also great. Service was great, our waiter was very attentive. Mawn is a BYOB and he was very attentive with filling up our wine glasses. Overall, we had a great experience and the price is actually very reasonable. Now, do I think it's worth going crazy trying to buy a reservation here? Probably not, it wasn't life changing. But I would definitely go again if the opportunity arose. read more
Already a line half an hour before opening. Luckily I scored a table when they opened to let us in. The music is a bit loud, but I was able to hear the specials for the day. They had ribeye skewers, a whole fried fish and an all star seafood fried rice. The service was fantastic: friendly and informative. I opted for the All Star Fried Rice, as I was eyeing the Thai Crab Fried Rice, and was intrigued with the additional seafood (shrimp, fish roe, uni, scallop). Omg, the rice had wok hay, with bits of crunchy bites. The seafood was fresh and rich. Lots of great textures with the melty uni, popping fish roe, meaty scallops and shrimp. There is a sweet srirachi on the side for extra flavor. It was a bit too rich for me, so I couldn't finish it. I had the rest as leftovers, which heated well. The Cambodian Papaya Salad definitely has a kick! It was refreshing with all the other ingredients, just make sure it mix it up. Love the crunch of the papaya. The Thai Green Tea was a bit sweet and milky for me, but seems right for most people! I took this to go as well to sip on slowly. I will have to come back when I'm in the area to try their noodle dishes! read more
So completely worth the hype! I came for a lunch walk in on a Thursday - we arrived ~10:30 and got in with the first seating. Everything that we had was incredible, and very reasonably priced considering all of Mawn's accolades and the quality of the food. Three of us shared the papaya salad, curry noodle soup, and crab fried rice. The salad and curry soup were bright and tangy, while the rice was so rich and delicious. It was the perfect pairing, though I don't think you could go wrong with anything on the menu. I want to come back enough times to try everything - will have to aim for one of the coveted reservations next time! read more
6 months ago
Obviously Mawn doesn't need another 5 star review, but they deserve it. We came on a Friday for lunch and the food did not disappoint. We arrived about 45 minutes early for the first seating and got a table. They run an efficient operation with great service. The fried chicken is incredible and we loved the yellow curry soup! read more
1 year ago
Second time here for lunch. Friend waited before opening so fortunately I arrived right when we were seating. The wild boar prohok dip is incredible! High may recommend 5/5. Everything else is very standard. Admittedly unique combinations and sweetness, but can't recommend anything positively. The hull sauce (which they sell in bottles!) for the fried chicken is gas but still can't recommend the dish overall for $30. No problems of course, but hard to hit high expectations read more
Stopped in for lunch with the first wave of diners waiting in queue outside. Everyone was promptly sat and staff were quick to help you order if you were curious and explain any dishes. The decor inside is lively and cozy in a small space with mostly smaller 2 or some 4 person tables. Palm flower tea was cold and had a subtle yet fragrant floral taste. Tried four different plates, 2 from lunch menu and the 2 dinner menu options. Beef skewers (2 per order) were marinated and spiced nicely, very tasty. The wild boar prahok dip was amazing, savory and zesty flavor. The hull sauce for the fried chicken was another highlight, and they sell bottles of this. Mawn nyawm salad had a variety of interesting ingredients and was crisp, light, and fresh. Some items were a bit pricy comparatively but the quality, presentation, and demand definitely balances that out. My opinion is that everything was high quality and well presented, but the hype may be exaggerated a bit though it's still a great spot deserving of high praises. Would definitely like to try their dinner menu next time for a full experience. Thanks read more
2 months ago
Waiting in line for lunch at Mawn, we met some wonderful people, and the conversation continued inside. By the end of the meal, it felt like we were sharing lunch with friends. Every dish was exceptional. The head-on soft shell shrimp was crisp, sweet, and packed with flavor. The yellow curry noodle soup was perfectly balanced, heat, sour, sweet, with just the right snap and crunch from the peanuts and long beans. The Thai crab fried rice was loaded with fresh crab, and the jasmine rice pudding was the perfect finish. The service was warm and welcoming. Great food brings people to the table, but great hospitality makes strangers feel like family. Mawn delivers both. Worth every minute of the wait. read more
What a lovely place! I got lucky and had notifications on for reservations on OpenTable. Vegetarians and vegans should refer to their FAQs on suitable options. I got the Burmese ginger and melon salad which was DIVINE! The yellow curry noodle soup healed me. It was so good and it was quite spicy. Just perfect. The staff was super nice. read more
Finally snagged a reservation for a midweek dinner. The place is small with a high turnover, people going out and coming in constantly. The tables are tight but comfortable unless you have a very loud party next to you then I guess, good luck. Bathrooms are clean. Servers are friendly and will answer your questions patiently. This wasn't our first rodeo at a Cambodian restaurant so we didn't have many but the table next to us was constantly asking questions like what to eat, how to eat etc etc which the servers were very helpful with. We started with the anise thai tea and the spiced vietnamese coffee. I would highly recommend the coffee, it was delicious! For starters, we got the wild boar prohok dip that is super flavorful minced meat that comes with cold cabbage that you are supposed to sort of make a mini wrap and eat. Next, we got the Khao Soi and Thai Crab Fried Rice as our mains. The Khao Soi was phenomenal - delicious, creamy broth with soft and crispy noodles. The Crab fried rice was great as is - we reused the broth from the Khao Soi to mix with the rice and it complemented the rice very well. We ended our meal with the most delicious rice pudding - it had the richness of coconut milk and banana and freshness of lemongrass. I could also taste some water chestnut but could be totally wrong. We also got the funnel cake which was the perfect size and had a miso caramel sauce so slightly different than usual but definitely a much better version! It is definitely overhyped at this point but I guess good for them. I mean yeah it is great food that will satisfy your tastebuds but honestly nothing new or tantalizing about any of the dishes I tried. Every dish I had almost tasted like "oh yeah I have had this before". read more
Finally snagged a reservation at Mawn & I was so so excited. I'm happy to say this coveted restaurant is definitely worth the hype! The inside is quite small and you do sit rather close to the tables next to you but it wasn't too cramped. It was dimly lit and honestly a bit loud with music playing int the background but I enjoyed the ambiance, it would still make a good date night spot! The service was excellent, they were all very friendly and I appreciated that all dishes were served with reintroduction of what they were. All of the dishes we ordered were amazing, but I would say the star of the show was definitely their scallop crudo special. I'm still dreaming about that dish. Not too sweet and yet it complimented the fresh scallops well. The sourdough brioche was soft yet held up against the scallops, roe, and orange marmalade. The skewer was SO tender and fragrant, it is only 1 per order & I wish we got a second!! The papaya salad was saucy and tangy with a kick. Loved it! Oysters were good but not a must get, I will say there are better oysters in the city but the oysters are not what they're known for. My favorite main dish was the Khao Soi, the chicken thigh was tender and juicy. The noodles were cooked to perfection, not soggy at all. The curry was creamy and not spicy at all, with hint of nuttiness and tang from the lime. The steak & the fried rice tasted even better to me the day after (we of course had leftovers). The steak was juicy and the sauce was very lime-y & totally up my alley. The seafood fried rice had such tender scallops and generous bits of crab. I will say I would have appreciated a bit more uni but it was nonetheless delicious! Lastly, we saved room for the rice pudding & oh my it was delicious. It was not too sweet but the cream on top paired perfectly well with the creamy rice pudding. Definitely glad we saved room for it. It's BYOB as well! We also got an arianna agua fresca which was good, I would have preferred it to be a bit more on the tangy side but that's just me. Overall, I absolutely loved Mawn for dinner & I would love to come back!! :) read more
Great food, worthy of 5 stars. Sadly service was lacking, 2 stars with average of 3.5 stars. Got to the restaurant at 10:33am, there was already a line, and we were the 6th party. It's a small place with 14 tables of 2, seating about 28 people to max capacity. I drove with a friend from the suburbs, about a 1 hour drive. We talked while we ate. As we were eating our dessert, the server brought us our checks. This is very rude, as we waited in the 24 degree cold for our table. As a high quality restaurant, Mawn's servers need to be trained regarding proper etiquette. Other things: server dropped my chopsticks on the floor, and picked up only one, not bothering to look and pick up the second. We all know there are 2 chopsticks in a set. I also placed a take out order, and they forgot my fish. This was a dish I ordered for my husband to try. Food review: Mawn nyawm salad with poached chicken - absolutely delicious! My favorite dish. The flavors just exploded in your mouth. Beef skewers - delicious and tender as well. Curry noodle soup with chicken - it was good, but just ok for me as I'm not big into curry noodles, but my friend loved it. Seafood fried rice - an elevated version of their crab fried rice, but also with scallops, shrimp, sea urchin, and roe. This was also delicious, but the shrimp was overcooked. Funnel cake - good but nothing spectacular. Overall, I tried Mawn to see what the hype was all about. I'm also the person that stood in line for the cronut at Dominique Ansel's when it first came out. I'm a huge foodie and will go the extra mile for delicious food. Our dine-in check was $137 before tip, and my separate to go order was $207. I don't mind spending the money, but I refuse to tolerate poor service. While the food is delicious, I felt so rushed out of the restaurant, leaving me with a sour taste, and definitely will not come back. read more
7 months ago
It will always be that place that everyone talks about, no matter what no matter what time of year no matter who they will talk about this place. This is my second time here first time for brunch and let me tell you it is still just as good as I remember. Staff is fantastic and so a condiment and so kind. The ambience is small and tight, but you don't really care because you're blown away by the food. The specials are always something that you should get no matter what get one of the specials. We did get in line around 10 AM for a seating right at 11 easy Peezy you should go here why are you reading this? Go go go go read more
1 year ago
Start to finish, the experience learning about Cambodian cuisine at Mawn was a smooth, delicious, hospitable journey. Restaurant is small but, cozy. We were seated promptly. This is a BYOB; make a plan if that's important to you. Server Emmanuel deftly told us the story behind several menu items, then directed us to dishes we thoroughly enjoyed. We received a dish compliments of the kitchen, which was Instagram-worthy and appreciated. Service was attentive yet unobtrusive. Staff worked together to provide a seamless, enjoyable experience that I hope to repeat very soon. Menu suggestions: grilled saht koh (marinated beef on a stick), banh chow salad (chicken and shrimp crepe), fried chicken, tahini noodles, and (very spicy) yellow curry noodle soup. Pro tip: work hard to leave room for dessert; the jasmine rice pudding is a delicious medley of tropical flavors - bright, light yet decadent. Thank you to Phila (Pee-la) and Rachel for sharing their story. They're fostering a sense of community, bringing together patrons of all backgrounds to learn about and enjoy Cambodian food and hospitality. read more
Y'all, I MADE IT TO MAWN!! As many have mentioned, I've abandoned the idea of getting a dinner reservation, so I went an hour early for their lunch service to stand in the line. I was 3rd in line and they opened right at 11:00. We got to chose our own seats and we began ordering. Everything was devine but my personal favorite was the yellow curry. I asked the waiter what's the best meat to eat it with and he suggested the chicken and I returned the bowl empty. The portions are big and honestly the prices were worth the experience. I've never had Cambodian food but this was an amazing introduction. The most interesting thing was this sort of chili dog! All this food for less than $100! If you're on a budget I recommend getting one large noodle or main and then a few smaller starters. read more
6 months ago
Great service and great food! The place is small so it makes sense that it's so hard to get a reservation. I love a good BYO, so I can splurge a bit more on the food and not worry about the cost of alcohol. For a party of three, we order 5 appetizers and shared the all star fried rice, which was a perfect amount of food. We got the beef skewers, which were definitely a favorite - the meat absolutely melts in your mouth! The papaya salad paired well with this, as it was tangy and refreshing, especially on such a hot day. The scallop crudo was a special for the night, but I think they should add this to their permanent menu because it was definitely a standout! The all star fried rice at $54 was also well worth it. I am often disappointed by dishes like these due to the lack of "stuff", but there was crab throughout and a generous portion of roe. I was a little disappointed however that there were only 2 scallops at that price. Overall, each dish had impeccable flavor, great presentation, and a good amount of seafood for the price. read more
Amazing, and worth the hype. The beef skewer and soft shell shrimp are probably automatic reorders on future visits, and the scallop toast special would be as well if it was available. (That was probably our favorite dish of the night.) Of the entrees, we loved all three (my wife somewhat less on the duck noodles), but would also be open to trying others next time around. My wife was obsessed with the funnel cake. read more
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