Malagos Homegrown Cafe - Matina Aplaya — Restaurant in Davao City

A Disastrous Mother's Day Experience at Malagos Homegrown / Seafood Dampa

I regret to say that my experience at this restaurant on Mother's Day was nothing short of a complete disaster. I had booked a reservation three days in advance, only to be greeted with confusion and a blatant disregard for customer service upon arrival.

First and foremost, despite receiving a confirmation of our reservation, the restaurant staff informed us that we were required to pay a reservation fee. Nowhere in the booking process was this fee mentioned, leaving us feeling deceived and taken advantage of. This unexpected demand for payment immediately tainted our expectations for the evening.

To make matters worse, we endured an excruciating two-hour wait for our food to be served. The kitchen seemed to be in a state of utter chaos, leaving us hungry, frustrated, and increasingly regretful of our decision to dine at this establishment.

Adding insult to injury, not a single glass of water was offered to quench our thirst during the prolonged wait. It is unacceptable for a restaurant to neglect such a basic courtesy, especially considering the sweltering conditions of the day.

When we finally managed to place our dessert order, we encountered yet another hurdle. Despite our anticipation of a sweet ending to our meal, we were kept waiting for an astonishing 30 minutes for the desserts to be served. To make matters worse, the staff seemed completely disorganized and failed to even slice the cakes, further prolonging our already agonizing wait. It was a clear display of inefficiency and lack of attention to detail.

The overall experience at Malagos Homegrown was a complete disappointment. From the deceptive reservation practices to the interminable wait for both food and dessert, it is evident that this establishment has a long way to go in terms of providing quality service and customer satisfaction. I would strongly advise against dining at this restaurant, especially on special occasions like Mother's Day, as it will only lead to frustration, disappointment, and regret.

It is my hope that management takes immediate steps to rectify these glaring issues, as it is evident that they are failing their customers on multiple fronts. As a paying customer, I expected much more from Malagos Homegrown , and sadly, my expectations...

I’ve been staying in Davao for 2 years already but this is the first time I’ve been here. Many of my peers kept mentioning this place but for someone who lives in the North, this restaurant is just out of the way. But I did not regret going. I actually regret just discovering it now.

Location: they have a parking space and it’s easily navigable through Google Maps.

Place/Ambiance: The place is refreshing. It’s an outdoor restaurant so be ready with mosquito repellents. We were here nighttime and the air was a bit chill. I don’t know how it would be if it was daytime and humid. You can see the coastal road from here. The ground is spacious. There are tables available under the sky. And some tables are available under the canopy/patio. The lights are nice at night.

Price: the price is reasonable. We had ribs for just 499 (shareable). We had pork sinigang for less than 400.00. They did not skimp on the pork and the veggies. We also ordered beef salpicao and java rice with equally reasonable prices.

Food: the food is good! No complaints from us on any of the food served. It was delicious and soft. The highlight of the meal was the Choco Freeze. It’s a choco tablea drink that is served cold. I just absolutely love it. Will go back just for that 😆

Service: the staff were hospitable and they did everything they can to accommodate everyone. We were there on a lean night so the tables are not fully occupied. Since the ground is huge and it’s in an outdoor setting, it is challenging to call for their attention unless they are nearby. Probably they need to invest on a table service pager system.

But overall, it is a good experience and we will...

My sorority sis Monette and I wanted to have a Malagos experience without having to go far. So we went to Malagos Homegrown in Matina.

We decided on Adobong Kangkong with Tofu. The Kangkong was crunchy and the tofu not overly fried. The sauce was not salty nor sour. It was a perfect blend. We also had Pomelo Green Salad. I am allergic to chicken and other poultry so we requested for the chicken to be excluded from the salad. They obliged and it was perfect with their mango sauce. This one's a must.

For my dose of animal protein, we opted for grilled pork liempo. As an all-time favorite, this did not disappoint. It was tender, marinated just right and juicy. I had garlic rice to go with this.

The watermelon juice and guyabano shake really quenched the thirst on this hot and humid April afternoon.

The service was satisfactory. They have very attentive staff and they made sure that everything was served on time.

The price for the food was not cheap nor expensive. Just right for the serving.

The place is very relaxing with all the greens and the breeze from the sea. You just cannot see the sea as the coastal road separates the garden from being directly on the shore.

The hut dining areas are named after local birds and the air that flows in and out of the area and the fan somehow eases the humidity.

I can imagine how it would be at night when the lights are switched on and the band plays.

Before you go, you can buy chocolates and other food items or souvenir items from their stores.

When you want good food and relaxing ambiance, the Malagos Homegrown is a...