We love this place. Been coming here since it first opened. It’s gotten really popular now, so unfortunately the wait is a little longer than it used to be, but it’s worth it. Every dish is flavorful and exquisitely prepared. Wonderful wait staff and Chef Phila is the man. My daughter said if she has a “Death Row” last meal, this is it.
Jehan Ingravera
Great good. Papaya salad and seafood fried rice were the stand outs. The place is BYOB. Almost impossible to get a reservation for dinner though
Octavio Pineda
The culinary experience at Mawn is marked by a sensational and nuanced approach to flavor. Each dish I sampled, from the bright salad and the expertly prepared crudo to the indulgent duck noodles, the impeccably crispy fried chicken, and even the uniquely spiced coffee, demonstrated a remarkable attention to taste. A truly sensational offering.
Amanda Lively
Only waited an hour for a table on Saturday for lunch. Great staff. Flavor explosions of fresh Cambodian cuisine. Best of luck on the James Beard award
Danielle W
Knowing how hard it is to get a MAWN reservation for dinner (the place is *small*), I decided to come for lunch. During lunch hour, they had 2 dinner items on special, so I had the fried chicken and a beef skewer... both were out of this world. I was not familiar with Cambodian food and this was a delicious, yet approachable introduction. The beef was tender and succulent; it came off the skewer with ease. You could taste the marinade, char, and flaky salt come together in an explosion of flavor.
The fried chicken was unbelievable. I had half a bird, lightly coated in fish sauce caramel, served with their signature hull sauce, white rice, pickled carrot & daikon, and loads of Thai basil. The chicken was juicy, crunchy, and cooked to perfection. I plan to come back over the summer, to try more of the menu.
NOTE: For those wary of the spice level, neither the chicken nor the beef were spicy on their own. However, the hull sauce, served on the side was a 5/10 on the scale (think Sriracha heat level)
Daniel In
Had beef noodle soup and yellow curry chicken noodle with mi so caramel funnel cake at the end. 5/5. It's now my favorite Philly restaurant.
Elan Drennon
The food is outstanding. We went for lunch and ordered the grilled saht koh (beef skewers), fried chicken, Thai crab fried rice, yellow curry noodle soup with lump crab, and the funnel cake for dessert. After waiting in line, we wanted to try a variety of dishes. They didn’t disappoint!
We arrived just before 11:00 AM to get in for lunch, and by 12:39 PM, we were signing our check. As we wrapped up, our server said, “We’re going to need this table now, sorry to be the bad guy.” It was a bit off-putting, especially since we weren’t lingering, ordered a significant amount of food, and were only a party of two.
The food was excellent, but the service may start to suffer as the restaurant gains popularity on social media and the pressure to turn tables increases. Hate to see it. Go, but chew fast!
MaryElizabeth Greeley
For lunch - if you get there an hour+ before you can be closer to the front of the line and get in during the opening at 11. If you’re closer to the back during that first wave, but don’t get in, expect 1-1.5 hrs till you’re seated. Go get coffee somewhere else, go shopping at the Italian market, run to Rite Aid for your prescriptions - fill the time but don’t lose your spot! It’s worth the wait if you have the time but definitely don’t have a place to be or else you won’t be able to savor the food. Enjoy the food it’s delicious. You waited this long you might as well try a few new dishes and then have some to take home for Mawn Part 2
Joshua Mathews
Tight seats to eat, but the food makes up for it. They pack them in and it get LOUD. BYOB is nice so you can talk louder and not feel bad about it after tossing back some dranks. Sodium content is uber elevated, so be prepared for thirst pains afterwards. You might need to sell some stock to make a reservation as the popularity of this place is probably at it's peak right now, and lines for walk-in lunch hours going around the block as the owner documents on insta.
Mark Glenn
Mawn is severely overrated—an exercise in manufactured scarcity that falls flat the moment you step inside. If this tiny shoebox of a restaurant were any larger, the buzz would evaporate overnight.
1. Scarcity Marketing, Not Quality Their entire mystique hinges on exclusivity. Book a table, fret about getting in, then realize the food barely justifies the fuss. Remove the “we’re hard to get into” veneer, and you’ve got…well, nothing remarkable.
2. Punitive “Late” Policy Their website promises, “We can hold your table for up to 15 minutes past your reservation time. However, late arrivals may affect your total dining time.” That’s industry standard in Philadelphia until you actually show up ten minutes late to Mawn. Then: • Staff roll their eyes, as if you personally detonated a bomb. • You’re made to feel like you’ve committed an unforgivable sin.
If life happens and you’re even slightly tardy, prepare to be cold‑shouldered. They don’t welcome late guests—they punish them.
3. Mediocre Crab Fried Rice “Crab fried rice” ought to be a slam‑dunk, yet here it’s merely “O‑K.” When made with the advertised crab butter, it has a faint whisper of sweetness—but more often it’s slathered in generic butter, leaving you tasting…nothing. At Mawn’s prices, that’s inexcusable.
4. Overpriced, Underwhelming Oxtail Katiew One lonely piece of oxtail—stringy, fatty wagyu masquerading as braised meat—lands on your plate for a price that borders on highway robbery. Fat pools where meat should be, and you find yourself hunting for a bite of actual protein. One oxtail for that cost? Criminal.
5. Clear Favoritism It’s obvious when Phila or his wife decide you’re “in the club.” Certain diners get the red carpet treatment; everyone else gets the leftovers—both on the plate and in service. Watch nearby tables receive free tastes, extra pours, and insider nods. Meanwhile, you’re left wondering if you stumbled into the wrong scene.
6. A Discomforting Undercurrent of Bias In my experience as a well‑heeled Black diner, the vibe can turn downright hostile. Phila’s forced “urban” affectation melts away the moment he sees a Black customer: sudden curt replies, lingering glances of disdain, and a palpable sense that you don’t belong. If you’re looking for genuine warmth, this is a glaring red flag.
Bottom Line Mawn is all sizzle and no steak—literally and figuratively. Hit the buzzy reservation lottery if you must, but don’t say you weren’t warned. For equal or better cuisine, delivered with respect rather than contempt, you’ve got dozens of superior options in Philly. Skip Mawn’s smoke‑and‑mirrors show and dine somewhere that actually earns its praise.
We arrived 5m after opening for lunch on Sat, and we had to wait close to an hour for a table for 2 🫠 I don't really think the food is worth the wait. Like it is good, but not like outstanding or anything. And there is no reservation available so lunch is the only time they do walk in. Besides the lunch menu, there will be some items from the dinner menu available, which the server will let you know. The peanut noodle is a little spicy, but if you add the prohok (mắm bò hóc), that is not spicy at all and it tastes pretty good. The beef skewer is good but very normal. The beef noodle soup is very similar to phở. Tiny restaurant.
Natalie Natoli
The food and service were amazing. I’d go back solely for the melon salad.
Jinna Han
Actually this may be my number one Philly spot. We went for lunch because we've been trying to get reservations for a hot minute now with little success, but would love to come back at some point and try for a dinner tasting menu. They did go over the dinner specials they had for the lunch menu and we ended up getting a few things off that. The line for qalk in lunch wasnt bad - we got there 15 minutes before it opened and it was a bit of a cold/rainy day so got in right away when it opened.
The flavor was insane for all of the food. The shrimp as the first bite just really set high expectations and an incredible tone for the rest of the meal - it was juicy crunchy and had so much flavor and spice going on. The beef noodles were also great, a really simple clear broth but still with a strong flavor to it. Reminded me a little bit of Pho but something slightly different I couldn't place my finger on. The broth made me think of seollungtang a little too. The seafood all star fried rice was also great, loved the uni and bites of scallop. I'm not usually a big fried rice fan but still loved it. It was expensive but considering all the seafood bits in there (they really didnt skimp out) it was worth the price. The curry noodle rice was great, just so unfortunate it came at the end when we were starting to get full so it didn't pack the same punch as everything else but the flavor was definitely still there. I would recommend going with friends so you can try out more dishes.
Alyssa Santola
Incredible. So happy to get a reservation when I was in Philly for work. I’ve been dreaming about the meal ever since!
J T
I’ll start by saying, I was one of the lucky ones who snagged a reservation at MAWN on the first of the month, and let me tell you, it did not disappoint. From the intimate vibe to the super friendly staff and flavor-packed dishes, it was an experience I’d absolutely repeat.
I rated the overall experience a solid 5 stars, though I gave the food 4 stars, but not because of anything the restaurant did wrong. I ordered the soft shell shrimp, garlicky cabbage, saht koh (marinated beef stick), and the khao soi, which quickly became my favorite.
The 4-star food rating was purely personal. The soft shell shrimp had great flavor, especially when paired with the leaves, but I just couldn’t get past the texture of eating the whole shrimp, shell and all. Totally a me thing, not a food thing.
We love this place. Been coming here since it first opened. It’s gotten really popular now, so unfortunately the wait is a little longer than it used to be, but it’s worth it. Every dish is flavorful and exquisitely prepared. Wonderful wait staff and Chef Phila is the man. My daughter said if she has a “Death Row” last meal, this is it.
Great good. Papaya salad and seafood fried rice were the stand outs. The place is BYOB. Almost impossible to get a reservation for dinner though
The culinary experience at Mawn is marked by a sensational and nuanced approach to flavor. Each dish I sampled, from the bright salad and the expertly prepared crudo to the indulgent duck noodles, the impeccably crispy fried chicken, and even the uniquely spiced coffee, demonstrated a remarkable attention to taste. A truly sensational offering.
Only waited an hour for a table on Saturday for lunch. Great staff. Flavor explosions of fresh Cambodian cuisine. Best of luck on the James Beard award
Knowing how hard it is to get a MAWN reservation for dinner (the place is *small*), I decided to come for lunch. During lunch hour, they had 2 dinner items on special, so I had the fried chicken and a beef skewer... both were out of this world. I was not familiar with Cambodian food and this was a delicious, yet approachable introduction. The beef was tender and succulent; it came off the skewer with ease. You could taste the marinade, char, and flaky salt come together in an explosion of flavor.
The fried chicken was unbelievable. I had half a bird, lightly coated in fish sauce caramel, served with their signature hull sauce, white rice, pickled carrot & daikon, and loads of Thai basil. The chicken was juicy, crunchy, and cooked to perfection. I plan to come back over the summer, to try more of the menu.
NOTE: For those wary of the spice level, neither the chicken nor the beef were spicy on their own. However, the hull sauce, served on the side was a 5/10 on the scale (think Sriracha heat level)
Had beef noodle soup and yellow curry chicken noodle with mi so caramel funnel cake at the end. 5/5. It's now my favorite Philly restaurant.
The food is outstanding. We went for lunch and ordered the grilled saht koh (beef skewers), fried chicken, Thai crab fried rice, yellow curry noodle soup with lump crab, and the funnel cake for dessert. After waiting in line, we wanted to try a variety of dishes. They didn’t disappoint!
We arrived just before 11:00 AM to get in for lunch, and by 12:39 PM, we were signing our check. As we wrapped up, our server said, “We’re going to need this table now, sorry to be the bad guy.” It was a bit off-putting, especially since we weren’t lingering, ordered a significant amount of food, and were only a party of two.
The food was excellent, but the service may start to suffer as the restaurant gains popularity on social media and the pressure to turn tables increases. Hate to see it. Go, but chew fast!
For lunch - if you get there an hour+ before you can be closer to the front of the line and get in during the opening at 11. If you’re closer to the back during that first wave, but don’t get in, expect 1-1.5 hrs till you’re seated. Go get coffee somewhere else, go shopping at the Italian market, run to Rite Aid for your prescriptions - fill the time but don’t lose your spot! It’s worth the wait if you have the time but definitely don’t have a place to be or else you won’t be able to savor the food. Enjoy the food it’s delicious. You waited this long you might as well try a few new dishes and then have some to take home for Mawn Part 2
Tight seats to eat, but the food makes up for it. They pack them in and it get LOUD. BYOB is nice so you can talk louder and not feel bad about it after tossing back some dranks. Sodium content is uber elevated, so be prepared for thirst pains afterwards. You might need to sell some stock to make a reservation as the popularity of this place is probably at it's peak right now, and lines for walk-in lunch hours going around the block as the owner documents on insta.
Mawn is severely overrated—an exercise in manufactured scarcity that falls flat the moment you step inside. If this tiny shoebox of a restaurant were any larger, the buzz would evaporate overnight.
1. Scarcity Marketing, Not Quality
Their entire mystique hinges on exclusivity. Book a table, fret about getting in, then realize the food barely justifies the fuss. Remove the “we’re hard to get into” veneer, and you’ve got…well, nothing remarkable.
2. Punitive “Late” Policy
Their website promises, “We can hold your table for up to 15 minutes past your reservation time. However, late arrivals may affect your total dining time.” That’s industry standard in Philadelphia until you actually show up ten minutes late to Mawn. Then:
• Staff roll their eyes, as if you personally detonated a bomb.
• You’re made to feel like you’ve committed an unforgivable sin.
If life happens and you’re even slightly tardy, prepare to be cold‑shouldered. They don’t welcome late guests—they punish them.
3. Mediocre Crab Fried Rice
“Crab fried rice” ought to be a slam‑dunk, yet here it’s merely “O‑K.” When made with the advertised crab butter, it has a faint whisper of sweetness—but more often it’s slathered in generic butter, leaving you tasting…nothing. At Mawn’s prices, that’s inexcusable.
4. Overpriced, Underwhelming Oxtail Katiew
One lonely piece of oxtail—stringy, fatty wagyu masquerading as braised meat—lands on your plate for a price that borders on highway robbery. Fat pools where meat should be, and you find yourself hunting for a bite of actual protein. One oxtail for that cost? Criminal.
5. Clear Favoritism
It’s obvious when Phila or his wife decide you’re “in the club.” Certain diners get the red carpet treatment; everyone else gets the leftovers—both on the plate and in service. Watch nearby tables receive free tastes, extra pours, and insider nods. Meanwhile, you’re left wondering if you stumbled into the wrong scene.
6. A Discomforting Undercurrent of Bias
In my experience as a well‑heeled Black diner, the vibe can turn downright hostile. Phila’s forced “urban” affectation melts away the moment he sees a Black customer: sudden curt replies, lingering glances of disdain, and a palpable sense that you don’t belong. If you’re looking for genuine warmth, this is a glaring red flag.
Bottom Line
Mawn is all sizzle and no steak—literally and figuratively. Hit the buzzy reservation lottery if you must, but don’t say you weren’t warned. For equal or better cuisine, delivered with respect rather than contempt, you’ve got dozens of superior options in Philly. Skip Mawn’s smoke‑and‑mirrors show and dine somewhere that actually earns its praise.
Restaurantji Recommends
We arrived 5m after opening for lunch on Sat, and we had to wait close to an hour for a table for 2 🫠 I don't really think the food is worth the wait. Like it is good, but not like outstanding or anything. And there is no reservation available so lunch is the only time they do walk in.
Besides the lunch menu, there will be some items from the dinner menu available, which the server will let you know. The peanut noodle is a little spicy, but if you add the prohok (mắm bò hóc), that is not spicy at all and it tastes pretty good. The beef skewer is good but very normal. The beef noodle soup is very similar to phở. Tiny restaurant.
The food and service were amazing. I’d go back solely for the melon salad.
Actually this may be my number one Philly spot. We went for lunch because we've been trying to get reservations for a hot minute now with little success, but would love to come back at some point and try for a dinner tasting menu. They did go over the dinner specials they had for the lunch menu and we ended up getting a few things off that. The line for qalk in lunch wasnt bad - we got there 15 minutes before it opened and it was a bit of a cold/rainy day so got in right away when it opened.
The flavor was insane for all of the food. The shrimp as the first bite just really set high expectations and an incredible tone for the rest of the meal - it was juicy crunchy and had so much flavor and spice going on. The beef noodles were also great, a really simple clear broth but still with a strong flavor to it. Reminded me a little bit of Pho but something slightly different I couldn't place my finger on. The broth made me think of seollungtang a little too. The seafood all star fried rice was also great, loved the uni and bites of scallop. I'm not usually a big fried rice fan but still loved it. It was expensive but considering all the seafood bits in there (they really didnt skimp out) it was worth the price. The curry noodle rice was great, just so unfortunate it came at the end when we were starting to get full so it didn't pack the same punch as everything else but the flavor was definitely still there. I would recommend going with friends so you can try out more dishes.
Incredible. So happy to get a reservation when I was in Philly for work. I’ve been dreaming about the meal ever since!
I’ll start by saying, I was one of the lucky ones who snagged a reservation at MAWN on the first of the month, and let me tell you, it did not disappoint. From the intimate vibe to the super friendly staff and flavor-packed dishes, it was an experience I’d absolutely repeat.
I rated the overall experience a solid 5 stars, though I gave the food 4 stars, but not because of anything the restaurant did wrong. I ordered the soft shell shrimp, garlicky cabbage, saht koh (marinated beef stick), and the khao soi, which quickly became my favorite.
The 4-star food rating was purely personal. The soft shell shrimp had great flavor, especially when paired with the leaves, but I just couldn’t get past the texture of eating the whole shrimp, shell and all. Totally a me thing, not a food thing.
Can’t wait to go back and try more of the menu!
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