Got take out on Saturday night. Not your average Asian restaurant. The Tangerine Three Delicacies we tremendous and when they say "spicy" they know what "spicy": means. The scallops and shrimp were better than you find in most Asian takeout, the chicken, unfortunately is knotted fried scraps. Only negative. In fact next time I order it, I'll order it without the chicken.
(4)
German S.
Time for some delicious sushi.
(4)
Stefanie G.
The next time you are considering Chinese take-out, consider Margaret Kuo in Media. You get their superior food for the same prices as the lower quality places in the area. We were so surprised! We shared vegetarian hot and sour soup- great variety of veggies, but the flavor was little unbalanced. I actually added some rice wine vinegar for more sour. The egg rolls were delightful- light and crispy, not a trace of oil in the taste or on our hands! We had the Chinese eggplant with garlic sauce and sweet and sour chicken for entrees. Both were very flavorful and offered generous portion for left overs. Margaret Kuo is now our go-to place for awesome Chinese take-out!
(4)
Dee M.
I do agree with previous reviewers that service does seem to have slipped. I am a big MK fan having gone to her restaurants for over the last 30 years starting out with Peking which was in the "old setting " Granite Run Mall. I went there as an older teen in the late 70's and I was spoiled forever for Chinese food. The food is really good here but the service could be better and it would be nice if some of the things she does in Wayne were also done here.
(3)
Superfly T.
First the positives; Media is a beautiful town with a nice main street, easy parking and Margaret Kuo's is located right in the heart of town. Next the interior is clean, comfortable, quiet and intimate. I found the wait staff to be a little slow, and forgetful. We sat at the Sushi bar and had sushi started with a beer and some Miso , the Miso was barely luke warm, not a good start. Since I was at the Sushi bar, I had a chance to observe; when someone's rolling and handling raw seafood greatest care should be taken on what else they touch - we all know this, however I saw this rule being violated over and over again. No they weren't touching their face or body parts, but they did come into contact with non-sterile areas repeatedly. Finally, the guy that they were training behind the bar had zero experience and rolled and cut sushi like I do (not very good). The soft shell crab roll was very very good, and tasted simply fantastic, and the head sushi chef definitely knew what he was doing (junior did not build that roll). To sum it up, I would go back and try the Chinese cooked food, just to try. As for the Sushi, it's Chinese restaurant sushi, fair to midland in quality but does not stack up to the real thing.
(3)
Lenny C.
In a very short time this has become a landmark Media restaurant, even though it is now a small chain. The food was above average and the provincial pork shoulder was sublime! And my wife loved the Shiitake Mushroom Soup while I inhaled the Steamed Buns and the Beef Dumplings - both steamed, not fried.
(3)
Mrinteresting W.
You can say what you want about Sushi joints, but don't say anything bad about Margaret Kuo's. The freshness of their sushi is outstanding, having spent time in rural Japan, where they catch the fish and eat it that very day, Kuo's is as authentic as you're going to get to the real thing. It's the ONLY place in the Greater Philadelphia area my wife and I will eat sashimi and sushi and be 100% satisfied every time we go. Always make a reservation, even if you think it's a slow day of the week. Kid friendly, with a complete Chinese as well as Japanese menu, something for everybody.
(5)
Penny M.
Our college road trip continues....We came across this gem of a restaurant last night in Media, PA. We enjoyed impeccably fresh sushi, delicious (and beautifully presented) entrees (pork shoulder, noodles & a scrumptious spicy seafood dish). Service was friendly, efficient - just right. The wine list was extensive and we thoroughly enjoyed an Australian Cab. The green tea ice cream was a perfect finish!
(5)
Ashley T.
Every time I go here, the vegetarian tofu dishes are inconsistent. Most recently, the tofu szechuan I ordered had a... graininess?? to it. Like there was sand in it... You can do excellent, authentic Chinese food without meat, but I haven't been impressed here.
(2)
Mary T.
Not impressed at all...in my opinion over priced Asian food. It's a nice place for a night out. Inside is very nicely decorated and the service is actually good. I guess it makes up for the food. But then I had the best Chinese food at hole-in-the-wall places with terrible decor and service.
(2)
Jillian P.
My Favorite sushi Place!!! Clean,Great food Good service!
(5)
Ann R.
I live in the city and I've been generally unimpressed with a lot of food in the suburbs, but I was very pleased with my recent visit to Margaret Kuo's in Media. My husband and I ordered off of the Chinese side of the menu and we were very happy with the food. We had a large party that included a small baby (on a Friday night), and had no problems at all. The waitstaff was friendly and we felt welcome in the restaurant. One warning: "spicy" on the menu seems to mean different things depending on the dish. My "spicy" tangerine entree was barely spicy at all, and the "spicy" mushroom hot-and-sour soup was among the hottest hot-and-sour soups I've ever had. They were both delicious, but if you have a low (or high) tolerance for hotness, you might want to double-check with the waiter before you order a particular dish.
(4)
Tom G.
When I used to live in Swarthmore I frequented MK often. Really solid Chinese and Japanese food. Sushi isn't great but it's more than passable and it's pretty cheap when compared to the more pricey places in Philly at a similar level of quality. My favorite dish is the peking duck, served table side. Miso soup is good as are the bento box dinners. They even do the "standard" chinese dishes like Sesame Chicken extremely well. I normally say that MK is like a much better version of PF Chang's. The State Street and Granite Run locations are both excellent, although I prefer the State Street for both food and decor.
(4)
Thomas G.
Their menu could use an update but overall the food here is really good. However, Bre P is right: this place used to be a lot better. They used to seat you quick, give you a hot towel to freshen up, and have your drinks to you in no time. Now, even after making a reservation we still had to wait a total time of almost an hour before we were eating. I realize of course that the restaurant gets busy, but there also seems to be a general lack of organization which slows things down. Also, most of the servers are not very friendly, which wouldn't bother me if they were more attentive. Then again, the sushi bar is always open and they do takeout. Overall, we will go back, but we aren't expecting to be blown away.
(3)
K G.
This place is great! It's in a cute area, and the sushi is fresh and delicious -you'd think you were downtown. It was pricy but we were satisfied with our meal. It was nice to go to a restaurant with a fresh variety of fish. In the area, all we've ever found is moderately priced Japanese Hibachi restaurants specializing in imitation crabmeat sushi. I'm so glad we went to Margaret Kuo's where I was able to get the fresh sashimi I love! If you're not downtown, know good sushi, and can afford the pricey meal...come here. The decor and atmosphere is cute and trendy also.
(4)
Chelsea P.
Adorable, intimate, and just plain yummy sushi! For the atmosphere I was expecting higher prices but it was not bad at all!
(4)
Felicia D.
The sushi here at Margaret Kuo's in little old Media is far better than any in Philadelphia at a similar price point. Very fresh fish, with judicious use of spicy sauce and other condiments. Waiter service varies from wandering clueless to prompt and smiling. The miso soup here is outstanding, with a delicate fermented flavor and tender cubes of tofu. My constant dinner is miso, seaweed salad, spicy tuna maki, salmon avocado maki and a Green Lady roll- various white fishes wrapped in thin slices of lime. Margaret Kuo has several restaurants- this is my favorite, with a close second being Peking, in the Granite Run Mall. It's not cheap but it's totally worth it.
(4)
Ayo K.
LOVE LOVE LOVE MARGARET KUO'S! Try the Rock Shrimp and the Dragon Roll. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE this place.
(5)
Dan C.
I came here with two friends to celebrate the end of midterms. We all ordered sushi platters, which came with generously sliced pieces of sashimi. The sushi wasn't as good considering what we paid, but the decor was excellent. We were seated on the Japanese side which had tasteful guaze and mahogany wood separating tables, and I liked the four calligraphies of the seasons. One of the owners, however, began yelling in hushed tones to the sushi chef in Chinese about he was giving portions that were too large! One of us knew Chinese and translated for the rest of the table, and I have to say that this minor spectacle detracted (and added to) our dining experience. Funny, but really now?
(3)
Andrew E.
Good sushi and Chinese food. A bit expensive but worth it.
(4)
Karen T.
Nice Chinese/Japanese restaurant in a cute area. My dining companion and I ordered the same thing: Tempura Udon. They were very gracious about omitting MSG at my request. It took a little longer than I expected for the food to come out but all was forgiven when it did. The serving was huge! Felt like I was in Texas again. A plate of nicely prepared tempura (sweet potato, broccoli, onion, shrimp, eggplant), tempura dipping sauce, and a giant bowl of udon with veggies, sliced mushrooms and tasty both. Very tasty and it justified the $15 price tag.
(4)
Shawn S.
By far the best sushi in Philly. I have eaten here numerous times and the fish is the highest quality and the wine selection is amazing. The prices are reasonable ad well.
(5)
Blake F.
when my coworkers & i have a hankering for good chinese food AND sushi, we forgo the slightly cheaper/chinese-only delivery place, and call in a take-out order to margaret kuo's. it's worth it. even better is when i have the opportunity to dine inside the restaurant which was renovated a few years ago - one side featuring an elegantly simple chinese decor, the other a slightly more traditional japanese feel, complete with the sushi bar and a private party room with floor seating. but make no mistake, it doesn't matter where you sit, you can order food from both menus! as a vegetarian, i really enjoy asian cuisine as it offers a variety of options, many of which are centered around tofu (yay protein!)...yet when i go to MK i find myself guilty of one of my typical dining no-no's: i ALWAYS get the same thing - it's just THAT good! and that would be the tofu homestyle (which i request to be served with brown rice i/o white). tender chunks of tofu along with mushrooms & bamboo shoots in what is quite possibly the best (and spiciest!) garlic sauce i have ever tasted. yum! i don't get more than an avocado or oshinko roll when it comes to sushi...but those, as well as the miso soup & seaweed salad, have all been excellent. and my fish-eating dining companions have only ever had good things to say about their selections. oh, and instead of the typical crunchy chinese noodles with duck sauce to munch on while you peruse the menu, MK provides 2 nibbling plates: roasted peanuts and pickled cucumbers, both of which are deliciously addictive. but be forewarned, they will not bring out additional plates once your food arrives, even when you ask. i suppose if you offer to pay extra...? i was a bit miffed at first, but in all honesty, i'm glad to have not been allowed to over indulge on snacks before my meal!
(5)
Vincent P.
This is about my third visit here and we have had a pleasant experience each time. It was a little tough figuring out the vegetarian options for me so I went with old faithful "vegetable tempura" and an appetizer dish that was basically deep fried tofu. My wife had the veggie spring roll and the daring (LOL) vegetable fried rice. All selections were good except my fried tofu. If was very oily and fell apart when trying to eat it. Really just a minor quibble. One other thing the miso soup to me is a step down from other good Japanese restaurants that I have tried. Not bad mind you, just not as good. One last thing. Is Sapporo beer getting less disgusting than is used to be or was I really that thirsty? It was good in a bland sort of way. Kind of like getting the Yuengling because the bar doesn't have Yards. All in all a good place to stop in for a bite.
(3)
caitlin p.
Tangerine chicken is amazing-light flavor and easily the most popular dish we ordered. The rest of the chinese menu came out very flavorful, just wish we had room for other stuff! We saw other tables getting a huge boatful (literally, a dragon boat) of sushi, it looked like a ton. Watch out!
(5)
sara l.
HIGH QUALITY chinese, expecially for outside of the city. awesome sushi... awesome EVERYTHING!!!!
(4)
John B.
The food was OK, The service was horrible. When we entered, I went to wash my hands. When I returned to my table the waitress asked me with a heavy accent what I wanted to have for dinner. I hadn't even opened my menu yet. Then she disappeared for 25 minutes. We finally ordered and within 15 minutes, everything was on the table; salad, appetizers, main course, EVERYTHING! We never saw the waitress at our table again. When we were ready to go we could not get her attention. Finally I gave my card to another waiter. A guy came back and said my card would not work. I called my visa card company to see if there was a security hold on my card. Meanwhile the guy from the restaurant hovered over me until I asked him to leave while I sorted out the problem. The visa company rep said all was fine. The restaurant refused to try my card again. I paid with a different card and went down the street to a brew house to buy a dessert. I used the card that was rejected at Kuo's without incident. I returned to Kuo's with the receipt and the dessert to show them that the problem was theirs. They told me that their machine can be quirky, but was not broken. I informed them that if the machine fails to do the job it was intended for, than it was indeed broken. Then they retreated to the kitchen and ignored me. I told them I was not happy and left. I got the distinct impression that there was nothing wrong with the machine and that they were trying to get me to pay cash. We will never return.
(1)
T C.
This is the best Chinese/Japanese food around. I am very picky when it comes to Chinese and I trust this place completely! You don't even feel terrible an hour after eating and wish it hadn't smelled so good that you devoured the entire meal! It's totally worth it! The sushi is outstanding and the rolls are colossal(in a good way). And the best thing is, eating at the restaurant you forget that you are in Media and feel like you could actually be eating in the city!!! And that is huge for a pregnant mother who doesn't get out too often these days.
(5)
Dave H.
Dined with a friend who's pickier than God; she wasn't willing to eat anywhere else. Thankfully their (decent) hot and sour soup warmed her up. Their main room is decorated beautifully, with sprawling Chinese characters along the walls. Real estate is tight (a bar takes up a lot of space), but small groups will do just fine. It was crowded, but we snagged seats at the sushi bar. Due to the crowd, servers weren't ever-present, but that meant more privacy. Besides, sushi chef Ken met all of our sushi-loving needs. Thanks to Ken, we sampled a couple of outstanding rolls, including the substantial Crazy roll ($11.95), jam-packed with eel, shrimp, crab, smoked salmon, cucumber, avocado, and egg, plus caviar. Easily a meal by itself, several bites are needed to subdue it. The highlight of the night? The Green Lady roll ($10.95). Cucumber, avocado, scallion, sprouts, striped bass, mint leaves, and LIME, it was wonderfully fresh, almost like eating a drink.
(4)
Eran M.
(vegan / vegetarian) Margaret Kuo used to be one of our favorite places to go. We enjoy their veggie sushi rolls, as well as their tofu kung pao (which is not listed in the menu, but is very delicious). The waiters are generally friendly. Unfortunately, they seem to be slipping. In the past few months, service has been getting worse - while still friendly, they are now very slow. Examples from our last visit: After being seated, it took about 10 minutes for a waiter to come by and offer us water. After we ordered (salad, sushi, tofu kung pao), the salad took another 20 minutes to come out. The sushi eventually arrived, but no tofu kung pao - perhaps the waiter thought the sushi was an appetizer? But the waiter never asked, and we ended up finishing the sushi, canceling the tofu, and heading out. I hope Margaret Kuo's in Media gets back on its game. We used to enjoy the place, and it's unfortunate that we've had repeatedly bad (and worsening) experiences there over the past few months, mainly due to slowing service.
(2)
Tim B.
3 1/2 stars, really. Look, you will not get anything bad here. It's all nicely done. It's way better than the average generic suburban Chinese. But it is generic suburban Chinese & Japanese, really, just well-executed and consistent. This is when the word "solid" is both a compliment and a criticism. You are not ever going to get anything here where you say, "Holy cow, they do that better than anybody else" or "I've never really had that dish made in that way, that was interesting or really delicious". But you are not going to get something and say, "That was crap, what were they thinking", either. This is one of those reliable joints that you're glad to have around, even if you also wistfully remember the really awesome Chinese or Japanese food you had somewhere else. Good for takeout too.
(3)
Sam W.
My stomach still hurts. I ate last night at 5:30pm. It is 11:30am the next day and I can't get the unfresh fish flavor out of my mouth. First off I love sushi! I am lucky enough to have been to some of the finest sushi bars in Los Angeles, Las Vegas and NYC. Having been craving sushi for 3 weeks or so and finally going out for it, I decide to try this place. Immediatly I was suprised there were no Daily Specials other than Rolls. No Traditional sashi dishes or small batch fish they decided to order because it happens to be in season like most places. The options were pretty basic and very little effort/passion/creativity was put into the menu. So I order sushi; salmon, toro, ahi, king crab, spanish mackerel, squid and tai fish. It comes out and I dig in. Finished a piece or 2 and something tasted kind of off. Then i went for the Toro, immediately I know. It was stinky, oddly firm and still frozen in the center!!!! I asked and at least they admitted it was frozen, but then they tried to play if off like it was perfectly ok. Then they started stuttering about the cost of fresh fish and they have to freeze it yada yada yada. If you buy too much, buy less next time. Do not freeze it beyond its freshness date and serve it. They have obviously lost their passion for quality as well as their respect for their customers. I'm new to this area and I love sushi so this better not be a trend around here.
(1)
Cax D.
Popped in here for dinner/Dining Under The Stars. I had the Kung Pao chicken, my husband had the General Tso's. Both tasted great, albeit spicy (as they should be)! The service was pretty sub-par; our waiter took forever to refill our waters, which we certainly noticed because we were dying of thirst after eating the spicy food. Also took way too long to get our check. However, this is probably normal for Dining Under the Stars so we gave them a pass. Would definitely eat here again, probably for takeout.
(4)
Karen F.
Had a wonderful lunch for 4 adults plus my 9 year old. Excellent lunch specials (Chinese) and sushi, especially the "Flamingo Roll" ($15 - ouch) with Mango, Avocado & Salmon over a shrimp tempura roll. Wild salmon Nigiri ($3.50 for one piece) was heavenly. Hamachi nigiri ($3.00) was very good also. Great lunchtime service and bill was around $80.00 (no alcohol, no dessert ordered).
(4)
Sierra C.
We recently tried Margaret Kuo's for the first time, and while we both had heard great reviews, we were less than enthused with our dining experience. My boyfriend ordered the Teriyaki Filet Mignon and was caught off guard when a thin beef steak was delivered to the table. Furthermore, the sea bass I ordered lacked flavor and was not memorable in the slightest. The service, however, was very nice, and I hope if we try this in the future to give their sushi a try rather than an entree.
(3)
Rachel W.
Have luved this place for years. One of my absolute favs is the house special ta chien chicken. It's spicy and delicious! The owners n staff are also delightful.
(5)
Matt B.
Nice decor and great service, but the food portions are tiny when considering the prices. As far as the quality of the food goes, this is probably the best Chinese food in Media.
(4)
Christian B.
Having lived near Media for many years, I for some reason always felt that Margaret Kuo's was more of a higher end Chinese/Japanese place, but after an amazing experience for dinner, with a shockingly great surprise at the end of the meal, I have to say this is a MTM (Must Try in Media) Atmosphere - Classic tones of black and white, along with a fully stocked bar met our party of three as we entered Margaret Kuo's off of state street. Sitting in the front of the restaurant, we were able to enjoy the hustle and bustle of the waitstaff, as well as the multitude of people coming by to pick up takeout orders. We were also greeted with peanuts, pickled cucumber, and warm towels as we sat down to look over the menu. A top notch level of service unmatched by other Asian restaurants in the area. Waitstaff - Our waitress was polite and brought our food over very quickly. With a busy dinner rush, she wasn't much for chatting, but brought our food out quickly and efficiently, and left the perfect amount of time between courses to have food. Water glasses were refilled with consistency and drinks from the bar came out in 2-3 minutes after ordering. Food - Wow, exceptional. Our party started off with shared appetizers for shrimp tempura and steamed edamame. The fresh edamame with sea salt was a perfect healthy snack to go with samples of miso soup said one of our diners. Add in Asian beers for Sapporo and Kirin from the bar, and it was a nice compliment. We had so much for appetizers and picking food, that our entrees were also stellar, but needed portions to be taken home. From the perfectly prepared General Tsao's Chicken, to the diner who went with Dumplings and Pot Stickers, to the sushi freshly made on site, all of our meals were top notch. You could really taste the difference here between those items freshly made vs the ones that were frozen. Intangibles - Full bar also includes wine as well, so this would not be considered a BYOB in my opinion. Price for three diners and the massive amount of food we received was less then $100 before tip which I was shocked and had to double check to make sure everything was on there. Takeout counter was busy the entire time, might have to swing by Media and grab some next time I'm in the mood for takeout. Overall - Margaret Kuo adds to her fantastic reputation here in our area. Food and Service are top notch, location can't be beat (less then a block from the parking garage) and restaurant atmosphere is outstanding. Can't wait to go back and try it again with new friends or family.
(5)
Robbi R.
I recently took my adult daughter out for her Birthday dinner at Margaret Kuos in Media. We were seated in the back at a row of very close tables, low and behold they seated a family right smack next to us (even though there were other tables) with 2 screaming toddlers, that persisted in yelling throughout our meal. We were unable to talk or enjoy our dinner! I did complain to management, but at that point it was too late, our meal and evening out were already ruined! I guess the food was good, but we had to eat so quickly, I'm not quite sure. I think it was very ignorant to put screaming toddlers about 6 inches away from adult diners, when there were plenty of other seats! It shows me that management here is not at all concerned with the comfort of their guests.
(1)
Amanda G.
My husband and I got take-out from here last night. Overall, everything was OK. Nothing stood out as being spectacular to me, though. The eggrolls were pretty standard, but they really skimped on the sauces (need more duck sauce, please!). We also got the szechuan dumplings, which we thought were covered in chopped nuts. I found out very quickly that, no, it wasn't nuts...it was no less than one bulb of chopped garlic. WOWZA. I'm still rockin' that garlic breath today. The spicy pepper tuna roll was not that great. The tuna was seared, so it was pretty tough, and the texture just wasn't good for sushi. The salmon avocado roll was fine. They did mess up one part of our order. My husband asked for eel nigiri, but they gave him eel sashimi. Anywho, everything we ate was edible, but nothing was special, and the prices weren't especially competitive. I doubt we'll be making an attempt to go back.
(3)
P E.
My favorite dining partner needed their Kung Pao chicken fix. This place still offers the best Chinese at this end of the county. It did not disappoint. The gyoza were also very well done with the perfect balance between the frying and steaming. The pork lo mein was flavorless and was disappointing compared to previous visits. They still offer peanuts and pickled cucumber at the start of the meal. Service is always perfunctory at all of the establishments run by Kuo. On this visit it appeared that our waitress may have been training a young man. He kept shadowing her but was dressed in a bubble-style winter jacket and just seemed to hover unnaturally behind her.
(4)
R H.
Just had a great dinner...started out with deliciously seasoned fresh pickled cucumber. Lobster spring roll and scallion pancake were good. Peking Duck was flavorful and not greasy...wrapped for us tableside! Peking shrimp was also delicious. Don't be afraid of the amount garlic...it is so delicious on some rice. And whoever complained about the price of the Jasmine tea in one of the reviews I read is so wrong...it was worth the money...great quality Jasmine tea. Service was prompt and waitstaff was polite and courteous. It was a very enjoyable meal and we will certainly return.
(5)
Cassidi J.
I've never had their Chinese food but Sushi was less than average. It was room temperature and was rolled up with way too much rice. The service and atmosphere was mediocre as well. Not worth the money.
(1)
Laura S.
I was excited to try Margaret Kuo's. Perhaps it was the fact that it was lunchtime. The food was merely pedestrian. Hot and Sour Soup had little zip. Nothing tangy. It wasn't bad, but nothing to be excited about. Ta Chien Chicken for my entree......so very salty it was barely palatable. The highlight was the jasmine tea. But before we get too excited --they charge $6.00 for jasmine tea. The service was fine. No complaints there. Would I go back? No. With all of the wonderful restaurants in the area, no need to return.
(2)
Walt B.
Menu offers a wide variety of dishes and tastes. I have eaten all over China and am fussy about my Chinese food, but every one of the six dishes we ordered was nothing short of excellent.
(5)
Laurence B.
Consistently good Chinese food. If you like sauce ask for extra as they run light. Good size portions. Restaurant is nice and clean when dining in. I like the nuts and gurkins! When I want Chinese this is my default.
(4)
Harry S.
We always go to Peking at the Granite Run Mall because of the convenience. All the food, and especially the sushi, is always outstanding and the service is excellent. Roy, the Manager, runs a great restaurant and always greets us when we come in. Strongly recommend this restaurant. We've been going for 25 years.
(5)
Julia T.
I went to Swarthmore College and this is my absolute favorite restaurant in the area. The spicy tuna roll is amazing and the peanuts and cucumbers they give to you as a meal starter are my favorite. Their chinese dishes are also awesome and I would occasionally get the general tso's chicken. Their egg rolls were always piping hot and delicious. It is a great place for a quiet dinner and I can't wait to go back!
(4)
Patty V.
My son & I came here for lunch today 4/8/14. The food & service was extraordinary. Our server was wonderful, he was very attentive & professional. We both started off with egg rolls which were very tasty. We had a choice of soup which came with our lunch specials, the hot & sour soup was excellent. I had Kung Pao chicken & my son had General Tsaos chicken, and Roast pork fried rice all dishes were remarkable. Our experiences at Margaret Kuo Signature Restaurants have been nothing but amazing :) my son who is a Chef was honored to meet Madam Kuo herself a few months ago, she's a wonderful woman. When you come to any Margaret Kuo Signature Restaurant, The food spectacular & service is commendable and everything from Appetizers, Soups, & Entrees are outstanding, You will not be disappointed. Highly Recommended!
(5)
Caroline S.
This review is solely for Margaret Kuo's MEDIA location. I say this first because I have only heard great things about their Wayne and Malvern spots however MK Media just doesn't equal up. I came with a rather large party (12 heads) and our reservations were made about a week in advance via OpenTable yet there was 1 server for our large party... In fact, he seemed to be the only server there (Friday night). Our drink orders weren't taken for about an hour into our visit. Then it was a continuous struggle trying to get his attention to place appetizer and entree orders (A few in our party actually left because they hadn't anticipated spending 5 hours out for dinner). When the waiter was taking my order, I repeated myself a few times because he seemed to be drifting off into outer space and he also was not writing anything down. So I was not entirely shocked that when meals were served there were a few entrees missing. However when we asked the waiter about this I was shocked by his careless reply, "you didn't order that"... Um okay. Not even a "I'm sorry" or "Can I put that in now for you?".. Very awkward. Also what is actually served is kind of laughable. Two in our party ordered the Chilean sea bass, one's fish was literally twice the size of the others... The only difference? The sauces they chose. I wasn't impressed by the majority of the menu and it is definitely overpriced for what you are getting. Skip the dessert menu. Everything that is worth ordering they no longer have and the rest is awful. ... Just do your wallet a favor and skip Margaret Kuo's Media entirely.
(2)
Julie J.
Maybe this was an isolated incident because I am seeing lots of positive reviews but I had a bad experience today for lunch. To keep it simple, the sushi was not good at all. Inedible in my opinion. I ordered a spicy tuna and a tuna avocado roll. Both rolls were small, poorly assembled and tasted fishy in a less than fresh way. I politely told the waiter I couldn't eat the rolls because they didn't taste right and he was very nice about it and I was charged only for the $4 salad that I ordered. The staff seemed friendly, perhaps the non-sushi menu items are good but I don't think I'll return to find out with so many other options for good restaurants in the area.
(1)
Roger S.
Pretty average Chinese food, the meat dishes lacked many vegetables, so it was mostly meat and rice. My quarrel was the price - turns out there is no lunch menu on the weekend, so somehow we ended up spending $150 for lunch for a party of 4, with only 3 beers between us, including 15% tip!
(3)
Chris M.
I ordered the Pear Sakatani and it was a bit too "harsh". Maybe they could use better liquor? I had two rolls and both were good
(4)
texas w.
its solid, but it's not a go to spot...a bit pricy for what it is. drink menu is on point. Japanese offerings are very well done; imaginative and fresh on the sushi side, solid on the cooked side. Chinese food is way over priced, but tasty. ive never been disappointed, here. service tends to be pretty fast for the volume they do and they do a booming biz (lots of take out) the tv's in the dining room are distracting, but that's my fault for looking.
(3)
Glynnis O.
Went here on a frigid November evening, and with plenty of room in the warm back of the restaurant, were promptly seated next to the front door. This place has a ton of take out customers, so every time a person opened the door, we got an icy breeze to wake us up in between sips of water. The service was as average as non native speakers go, interjected by hilarious musings by a staff member behind the bar nursing a Midori colored drink, but unfortunately our stoic waiter didn't see the humor. I got the beef skewers as an appetizer, which were excellent, and I carried this excitement over to the main course. Unfortunately, it was mediocre at best. I ordered the hot pepper chicken, while my husband got pork katsu. The chicken tasted old and was covered in almost pure corn syrup with a few crushed red pepper flakes for show that had lost all flavor. The pork katsu had a weird taste to it, like it had been freezer burnt, and the breading was very strange and unappetizing as well. According to my husband, this place used to be great, but it seems they have abandoned the great food but kept the high prices (about 60 dollars without alcohol). There was a constant heavy stream of customers picking up to-go orders, so it wasn't just a kitchen trying to clear out whatever they didn't sell that weekend, so I assume the quality is consistent. I know I certainly can't afford coming back to risk challenging that assumption.
(3)
Rita C.
So after driving by Margaret's Kuo's for the last 5 years or so, I finally got the chance to check it out one rainy night in Media....and then I was back two weeks later for Dining Under the Stars. That being said, I really, really like the food and atmosphere at here, but like many have mentioned, the service absolutely ruins it. The first time, my boyfriend and I were seated in the back of the restaurant, which is super dark. It was nice to see the sushi chefs doing their thing, though, so I really shouldn't complain that much. For drinks, we had the lychee and mango martinis. Both were absolutely delicious! Mixed well with just enough of the good stuff. Then we waited...and waited..and waited to place our dinner orders. We ended up getting the wasabi shumai for an appetizer and jumbo spider, fancy dragon, tiger, and natuto cucumber rolls to split. After we ordered, I asked the waiter if there was anything we ordered with nuts in it since my boyfriend is allergic - he just stared at me. So, I asked again. He said no and walked away. Odd. Anyway, we got our food and were really happy with everything that came out. The shumai was flavorful, but not overpowering; the sushi was super fresh and expertly prepared. We really enjoyed our meal! And then we waited a good twenty minutes before ever seeing another waiter to ask for our check. I really, really don't understand this! The second time around, I decided to try out the Mandarin Lamb. Think mooshu but with delicious, sweet lamb. It's my new favorite! I would definitely get this again, but would possibly skip the pancakes and instead eat the lamb with rice. In closing - I really wanted to love Margaret Kuo's because of the food (since that's why we're all going there, right?), but the experience was killed by the waitstaff both times I was there. This wouldn't be my first choice of restaurant if I was going out in Media, but I would probably go here again.
(3)
Arthur K.
best sushi sashimi japanese chinese anywhere in the pa suburbs. only yang ming can compare, but they are chinese only. full bar and superb service.
(5)
Adi R.
Every time we come here, we are very satisfied and pleased. It is like a nice fusion of Japanese, Chinese and all in between. The food is great and the sauce for dishes such as General Tsao's Chicken and Tangerine Three Delicacies is simply perfect. Many flavors over layed onto each other give it a great taste. Sushi bar is awesome especially since this place is not a dedicated sushi bar. This place is definitely one of the top chinese places I have been to. More great experiences to come.
(5)
Vivian H.
They have a huge menu of Chinese, Japanese, and kind of American food (mm sea bass!) I tried the tonkatsu and chicken/veggie moo shu. Both were huge portions, like it would feed 1.5 people comfortably. The tonkatsu was kind of dry, and the moo shu was too salty I thought. Maybe I should have tried the sushi or some other seafood. The service is good, and the place is really fancy, but the food doesn't really back that up. I don't really think it's worth the price tag.
(2)
Angela B.
Mediocre, and the food was cold. I expect a lot more from a $70 meal for just two people. We got the PE King duck which the waiter insisted was a whole duck that we would be best splitting - no way. It was shavings of a duck - with no flavor. The dessert we ordered was frozen - literally frozen and not edible. Our waiter was mediocre and had no idea what he was doing. Truly awful! I don't see the fuss on this place.
(1)
jed p.
Take out, Chinese only, I enjoyed the general Tsoa's chicken, and some drunken noodles, and this tasty walnut shrimp, this killer duck, and perhaps there was also some rice. I was pretty happy.
(4)
JB B.
Got take out on Saturday night. Not your average Asian restaurant. The Tangerine Three Delicacies we tremendous and when they say "spicy" they know what "spicy": means. The scallops and shrimp were better than you find in most Asian takeout, the chicken, unfortunately is knotted fried scraps. Only negative. In fact next time I order it, I'll order it without the chicken.
(4)
Jen N.
My husband and I ate here after recommendations from everyone we've met. We spent a year in China and have high expectations of Chinese food: Margaret Kuo's didn't disappoint! The dumplings were fresh, and steamed in a traditional bamboo steamer. The egg rolls were hot and crispy. They had plenty of Asian variety to make it easy to find something you want. The sushi looked delicious. They get full up very quickly, so make a reservation! You can also order take out, which we'll be doing! Definitely going back!
(5)
Andrea H.
I have been coming here for over 10 years and it continues to be best Chinese food I have ever had. They have a great Japanese menu too and the sushi is fantastic. Service is always great and food is wonderful!
(5)
Sara L.
When this place originally opened in the 90's, it was wonderful. I've been going here for years. But recently, within the last year or two, I'd say, I've had nothing but bad experiences. The first time I chalked it up to a language barrier. My husband is vegan, so when he ordered, he asked if the item was vegan since it gave no explanation of what was in the dish. They said, oh yes, it was vegan. It came out with eggs. He didn't eat it, and they wouldn't take it off the bill. The second time, it was Dining Under the Stars (a weekly summer event in Media) and my parents and I were looking for a place to eat. There were at least 12 tables set up outside, 4 tables of 6 and 8 tables to 2. Since there were three of us, we selected a table of 6 (no one was around to seat us and it was outdoors.) The owner came right up after we sat and said, "you have to be out of here by 7pm. Lots of reservations". I said, "well it's 5pm, and no one sat, so if we're done, we're done, and if not, too bad." Now i realize that this wasn't the most friendly response, but I was quite bristly from this exchange. And then, to top it off, the service was unbearably slow. If you want me out fast, I expect fast service. Furthermore, the couple behind us also had the same experience, even at a table for 2 people. They were told the could bring their own wine if they drank it outside, but upon being sat outside, they were then told, #1, they too had to be out by 7pm, #2 no BYO. Very annoying. For the prices, you'd think they'd splurge for a "Reserved" sign.
(1)
Marissa S.
Went here for lunch with some friends... The sushi was alright and pricey. I've had better. I could not understand my waiter (native-speaking.) The ambience and decor is very nice.
(3)
Jen L.
This place tries to offer a more upscale Chinese food option instead of being another take out place, but frankly that just doesn't do much for me, as it just comes across as overpriced and stuffy. They do have a few item on the menu that are a little off the beaten track and a little more authentic, such as the leek pancake appetizer. Not sure if it's always on the menu as it was over a year ago on Valentine's Day when I had them, but they were exactly as my family makes them back in China and I got a little excited. Overall, though, I am more likely to get take out from Jing Fong, stay in and watch movies while eating my Chinese food. I know my preferences are probably not typical here, since when I go out to eat I prefer to get things I can't make easily myself, or it better be much better and cheaper than I can make it myself. For a more upscale and authentic dine-in experience in the suburbs, I highly recommend Han Dynasty instead.
(3)
Jonathan G.
I went with my family last night to celebrate a big occasion and was pretty disappointed. I will start off by saying that the food and ambience are both really good however the service was atrocious! It was clear from the start that the waiter had no idea what he was doing. We ordered a large bottle of Sake for the table and he was extremely confused. He must have asked me 3 times if this was right when presenting the bottle as if we had to have made a mistake. He didn't even know to bring a wine bucket with cold sake. This guy had no idea about service. My father ordered a filet and he had no idea that the needed to ask what temperature. I can be somewhat forgiving if you are new but at the very least be attentive which he was definitely not. Right after he took our order he disappeared for the rest of the night and what seemed to be the food runner sort of took over. Never checked back, never asked if anyone needed any refills etc... And to add insult to injury, all of the food came out room temp! I get it if maybe one plate isn't hot but the entire table!!! What can I say Margaret. When spending over $40 per person I expect a little more!
(2)
David L.
Just love the place. Sushi is absolutely solid and staff is professional. Never had a bad experience. Try the take out too. Good choice for Media's "Dining Under the Stars" in the summer.
(4)
Louis B.
Excellent dining venue in the middle of quaint Media PA downtown. The trolley whizzes by and it creates a wonderful scene in this little old town. My only wish is that they had outdoor seating like most of the other restaurants around them. But that would be icing on the cake. We went in and were seated immediately. Then we had a wonderful dinner. Tempura and Seafood and Vegetables, way plenty for two. Quality, ambiance and service were superior. As usual.
(4)
Jaime J.
The first time I went to Margaret Kuo's, it was on the recommendation of a friend. At the time, I didn't eat sushi - my oversight! The menu is diverse - with both Chinese and Japanese offerings. I love MK's because it's not your typical Chinese take-out place. It's elegant and cozy. Dimly lit with gauze-y panels separating the table areas, this Chinese restaurant can actually be romantic. My most recent trip to MK's, we ordered a Dragon Roll and a Green Lady Roll. Fantastic! The spicy salmon and avocado in the dragon roll is a perfect combination of spicy, cool, and creamy. The green lady roll is topped with mint leaves and slivers of lime - very refreshing. I also had the miso soup and tempura vegetables. Beautiful presentation and friendly staff.
(4)
John K.
Stopped in for a quart of take-out wonton soup at about 5PM. A waiter took my order and I left for ten minutes. When I returned there was no soup. The hostess took the order again and I paid her. She brought me a bag with a soup container in it. As I walked up the street to my car she came after me saying I had the wrong soup. She gave me another bag with a different container. All incidental and forgivable but the soup was awful, full of mushy wontons with no flavor.
(2)
Vivian R.
All right, all right - I have to admit, I'm completely biased on this restaurant. I have to head off my review with a big assterick (sic). Margaret Kuo and her husband, Warren, happen to be family friends of my father's, and we do make a stop in to see them and to have a meal here each time we're up to visit in Philly. But I have to admit - I'm visiting from Washington DC, where our Chinatown is virtually nonexistant, extending really all of 1 block. And it's not even a big block at that. It's more like a strip - and I've seen bigger strips at Camelot's back in the day. But I digress. This restaurant, and its sister restaurant Margaret Kuo's Signature in Wayne on Lancaster Avenue, are far from your typical Chinese take-out. Breathe the word take-out around these joints, and I swear, I may just take you out. Permanently. But again, I digress. They do, however, get a lot of walk-ins, particularly at their Signature restaurant in Wayne, with people snot-nosing the restaurant and demanding a table at 8 on a Saturday night without a reservation. It's high-Chinese flavor that's being served here, not a Chinese take-out joint serving Villanova or St. Joe's along Lancaster Ave. High Chinese food exists in the burbs thanks to the Kuo's dedication to providing genuine food, with unique touches, fabulous twists, and modern combinations of flavors that showcase the growth of Chinese food smoothly into the 21st century with a gentle nod to its long legacy from half way around the planet. The food they serve is closer to what I have as genuine home-made Chinese food. Real Chinese food doesn't slop on all that sauce on every single dish, though the sauce does come into play in more formal presentations of foods. Real Chinese food is similar to any other true cultural food - it celebrates the freshness and uniqueness of its ingredients. There are specials offered depending on season, though their menu has a wide assortment of their kitchen's signature dishes. Their sushi is simply amazing, with fish that is smooth as butter. My favorite dishes - they serve up amazing dim-sum (go for the little pork buns), soups (hot and sour, I swear by it, and it's my litmus test for any Chinese restaurant I hit, and I'll hold off having any hot and sour soup here in DC just until I head back to Margaret's kitchen), any of their tofu dishes, fish dishes - oh hell, I can't think of one dish I've had there that has been wrong in any way. The portions, however, are made for family-style dining, and be prepared to take some home if you intend to order 1 full dish for yourself. It tastes even better the next day, warmed up even in the microwave, I promise. And they have brown rice as an option to standard white rice. On the Baby front, granted, I do get the special treatment when I'm there simply because we're all family, but Hubby, Dad, and I brought little Baby there, and she felt right at home. We shared in the dim sum, some hot and sour seafood soup, rice, and tofu with tomatoes - and this may be one of the few times that she's shown she's actually full. Granted, I lose out on half my meal to her, but so long as Baby's happy, it's all I can hope for. They have high chairs, and they have small espresso spoons (metal) that I used when we forgot Baby's spoon. We do try our best to keep our table and area clean, as Baby can make quite a mess (you should see our dining table at home). Baby-friendly, and as for the Media joint, I am so happy to see that Margaret Kuo deemed my little free-trade hometown worthy to receive the bounty of their kitchen. Lunch on weekends works well, and Saturday nights are definitely busy (check out opentable.com for reservations), and weeknights may find business meeting events happening at their restaurants. Go, visit, and enjoy. I promise you, you wont' be disappointed.
(5)
Robbi R.
I recently took my adult daughter out for her Birthday dinner at Margaret Kuos in Media. We were seated in the back at a row of very close tables, low and behold they seated a family right smack next to us (even though there were other tables) with 2 screaming toddlers, that persisted in yelling throughout our meal. We were unable to talk or enjoy our dinner! I did complain to management, but at that point it was too late, our meal and evening out were already ruined! I guess the food was good, but we had to eat so quickly, I'm not quite sure. I think it was very ignorant to put screaming toddlers about 6 inches away from adult diners, when there were plenty of other seats! It shows me that management here is not at all concerned with the comfort of their guests.
(1)
Cax D.
Popped in here for dinner/Dining Under The Stars. I had the Kung Pao chicken, my husband had the General Tso's. Both tasted great, albeit spicy (as they should be)! The service was pretty sub-par; our waiter took forever to refill our waters, which we certainly noticed because we were dying of thirst after eating the spicy food. Also took way too long to get our check. However, this is probably normal for Dining Under the Stars so we gave them a pass. Would definitely eat here again, probably for takeout.
(4)
Karen F.
Had a wonderful lunch for 4 adults plus my 9 year old. Excellent lunch specials (Chinese) and sushi, especially the "Flamingo Roll" ($15 - ouch) with Mango, Avocado & Salmon over a shrimp tempura roll. Wild salmon Nigiri ($3.50 for one piece) was heavenly. Hamachi nigiri ($3.00) was very good also. Great lunchtime service and bill was around $80.00 (no alcohol, no dessert ordered).
(4)
Thomas G.
Their menu could use an update but overall the food here is really good. However, Bre P is right: this place used to be a lot better. They used to seat you quick, give you a hot towel to freshen up, and have your drinks to you in no time. Now, even after making a reservation we still had to wait a total time of almost an hour before we were eating. I realize of course that the restaurant gets busy, but there also seems to be a general lack of organization which slows things down. Also, most of the servers are not very friendly, which wouldn't bother me if they were more attentive. Then again, the sushi bar is always open and they do takeout. Overall, we will go back, but we aren't expecting to be blown away.
(3)
K G.
This place is great! It's in a cute area, and the sushi is fresh and delicious -you'd think you were downtown. It was pricy but we were satisfied with our meal. It was nice to go to a restaurant with a fresh variety of fish. In the area, all we've ever found is moderately priced Japanese Hibachi restaurants specializing in imitation crabmeat sushi. I'm so glad we went to Margaret Kuo's where I was able to get the fresh sashimi I love! If you're not downtown, know good sushi, and can afford the pricey meal...come here. The decor and atmosphere is cute and trendy also.
(4)
Chelsea P.
Adorable, intimate, and just plain yummy sushi! For the atmosphere I was expecting higher prices but it was not bad at all!
(4)
Felicia D.
The sushi here at Margaret Kuo's in little old Media is far better than any in Philadelphia at a similar price point. Very fresh fish, with judicious use of spicy sauce and other condiments. Waiter service varies from wandering clueless to prompt and smiling. The miso soup here is outstanding, with a delicate fermented flavor and tender cubes of tofu. My constant dinner is miso, seaweed salad, spicy tuna maki, salmon avocado maki and a Green Lady roll- various white fishes wrapped in thin slices of lime. Margaret Kuo has several restaurants- this is my favorite, with a close second being Peking, in the Granite Run Mall. It's not cheap but it's totally worth it.
(4)
Ayo K.
LOVE LOVE LOVE MARGARET KUO'S! Try the Rock Shrimp and the Dragon Roll. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE this place.
(5)
Dan C.
I came here with two friends to celebrate the end of midterms. We all ordered sushi platters, which came with generously sliced pieces of sashimi. The sushi wasn't as good considering what we paid, but the decor was excellent. We were seated on the Japanese side which had tasteful guaze and mahogany wood separating tables, and I liked the four calligraphies of the seasons. One of the owners, however, began yelling in hushed tones to the sushi chef in Chinese about he was giving portions that were too large! One of us knew Chinese and translated for the rest of the table, and I have to say that this minor spectacle detracted (and added to) our dining experience. Funny, but really now?
(3)
Andrew E.
Good sushi and Chinese food. A bit expensive but worth it.
(4)
Blake F.
when my coworkers & i have a hankering for good chinese food AND sushi, we forgo the slightly cheaper/chinese-only delivery place, and call in a take-out order to margaret kuo's. it's worth it. even better is when i have the opportunity to dine inside the restaurant which was renovated a few years ago - one side featuring an elegantly simple chinese decor, the other a slightly more traditional japanese feel, complete with the sushi bar and a private party room with floor seating. but make no mistake, it doesn't matter where you sit, you can order food from both menus! as a vegetarian, i really enjoy asian cuisine as it offers a variety of options, many of which are centered around tofu (yay protein!)...yet when i go to MK i find myself guilty of one of my typical dining no-no's: i ALWAYS get the same thing - it's just THAT good! and that would be the tofu homestyle (which i request to be served with brown rice i/o white). tender chunks of tofu along with mushrooms & bamboo shoots in what is quite possibly the best (and spiciest!) garlic sauce i have ever tasted. yum! i don't get more than an avocado or oshinko roll when it comes to sushi...but those, as well as the miso soup & seaweed salad, have all been excellent. and my fish-eating dining companions have only ever had good things to say about their selections. oh, and instead of the typical crunchy chinese noodles with duck sauce to munch on while you peruse the menu, MK provides 2 nibbling plates: roasted peanuts and pickled cucumbers, both of which are deliciously addictive. but be forewarned, they will not bring out additional plates once your food arrives, even when you ask. i suppose if you offer to pay extra...? i was a bit miffed at first, but in all honesty, i'm glad to have not been allowed to over indulge on snacks before my meal!
(5)
Vincent P.
This is about my third visit here and we have had a pleasant experience each time. It was a little tough figuring out the vegetarian options for me so I went with old faithful "vegetable tempura" and an appetizer dish that was basically deep fried tofu. My wife had the veggie spring roll and the daring (LOL) vegetable fried rice. All selections were good except my fried tofu. If was very oily and fell apart when trying to eat it. Really just a minor quibble. One other thing the miso soup to me is a step down from other good Japanese restaurants that I have tried. Not bad mind you, just not as good. One last thing. Is Sapporo beer getting less disgusting than is used to be or was I really that thirsty? It was good in a bland sort of way. Kind of like getting the Yuengling because the bar doesn't have Yards. All in all a good place to stop in for a bite.
(3)
caitlin p.
Tangerine chicken is amazing-light flavor and easily the most popular dish we ordered. The rest of the chinese menu came out very flavorful, just wish we had room for other stuff! We saw other tables getting a huge boatful (literally, a dragon boat) of sushi, it looked like a ton. Watch out!
(5)
Karen T.
Nice Chinese/Japanese restaurant in a cute area. My dining companion and I ordered the same thing: Tempura Udon. They were very gracious about omitting MSG at my request. It took a little longer than I expected for the food to come out but all was forgiven when it did. The serving was huge! Felt like I was in Texas again. A plate of nicely prepared tempura (sweet potato, broccoli, onion, shrimp, eggplant), tempura dipping sauce, and a giant bowl of udon with veggies, sliced mushrooms and tasty both. Very tasty and it justified the $15 price tag.
(4)
Shawn S.
By far the best sushi in Philly. I have eaten here numerous times and the fish is the highest quality and the wine selection is amazing. The prices are reasonable ad well.
(5)
Eran M.
(vegan / vegetarian) Margaret Kuo used to be one of our favorite places to go. We enjoy their veggie sushi rolls, as well as their tofu kung pao (which is not listed in the menu, but is very delicious). The waiters are generally friendly. Unfortunately, they seem to be slipping. In the past few months, service has been getting worse - while still friendly, they are now very slow. Examples from our last visit: After being seated, it took about 10 minutes for a waiter to come by and offer us water. After we ordered (salad, sushi, tofu kung pao), the salad took another 20 minutes to come out. The sushi eventually arrived, but no tofu kung pao - perhaps the waiter thought the sushi was an appetizer? But the waiter never asked, and we ended up finishing the sushi, canceling the tofu, and heading out. I hope Margaret Kuo's in Media gets back on its game. We used to enjoy the place, and it's unfortunate that we've had repeatedly bad (and worsening) experiences there over the past few months, mainly due to slowing service.
(2)
Tim B.
3 1/2 stars, really. Look, you will not get anything bad here. It's all nicely done. It's way better than the average generic suburban Chinese. But it is generic suburban Chinese & Japanese, really, just well-executed and consistent. This is when the word "solid" is both a compliment and a criticism. You are not ever going to get anything here where you say, "Holy cow, they do that better than anybody else" or "I've never really had that dish made in that way, that was interesting or really delicious". But you are not going to get something and say, "That was crap, what were they thinking", either. This is one of those reliable joints that you're glad to have around, even if you also wistfully remember the really awesome Chinese or Japanese food you had somewhere else. Good for takeout too.
(3)
Vivian R.
All right, all right - I have to admit, I'm completely biased on this restaurant. I have to head off my review with a big assterick (sic). Margaret Kuo and her husband, Warren, happen to be family friends of my father's, and we do make a stop in to see them and to have a meal here each time we're up to visit in Philly. But I have to admit - I'm visiting from Washington DC, where our Chinatown is virtually nonexistant, extending really all of 1 block. And it's not even a big block at that. It's more like a strip - and I've seen bigger strips at Camelot's back in the day. But I digress. This restaurant, and its sister restaurant Margaret Kuo's Signature in Wayne on Lancaster Avenue, are far from your typical Chinese take-out. Breathe the word take-out around these joints, and I swear, I may just take you out. Permanently. But again, I digress. They do, however, get a lot of walk-ins, particularly at their Signature restaurant in Wayne, with people snot-nosing the restaurant and demanding a table at 8 on a Saturday night without a reservation. It's high-Chinese flavor that's being served here, not a Chinese take-out joint serving Villanova or St. Joe's along Lancaster Ave. High Chinese food exists in the burbs thanks to the Kuo's dedication to providing genuine food, with unique touches, fabulous twists, and modern combinations of flavors that showcase the growth of Chinese food smoothly into the 21st century with a gentle nod to its long legacy from half way around the planet. The food they serve is closer to what I have as genuine home-made Chinese food. Real Chinese food doesn't slop on all that sauce on every single dish, though the sauce does come into play in more formal presentations of foods. Real Chinese food is similar to any other true cultural food - it celebrates the freshness and uniqueness of its ingredients. There are specials offered depending on season, though their menu has a wide assortment of their kitchen's signature dishes. Their sushi is simply amazing, with fish that is smooth as butter. My favorite dishes - they serve up amazing dim-sum (go for the little pork buns), soups (hot and sour, I swear by it, and it's my litmus test for any Chinese restaurant I hit, and I'll hold off having any hot and sour soup here in DC just until I head back to Margaret's kitchen), any of their tofu dishes, fish dishes - oh hell, I can't think of one dish I've had there that has been wrong in any way. The portions, however, are made for family-style dining, and be prepared to take some home if you intend to order 1 full dish for yourself. It tastes even better the next day, warmed up even in the microwave, I promise. And they have brown rice as an option to standard white rice. On the Baby front, granted, I do get the special treatment when I'm there simply because we're all family, but Hubby, Dad, and I brought little Baby there, and she felt right at home. We shared in the dim sum, some hot and sour seafood soup, rice, and tofu with tomatoes - and this may be one of the few times that she's shown she's actually full. Granted, I lose out on half my meal to her, but so long as Baby's happy, it's all I can hope for. They have high chairs, and they have small espresso spoons (metal) that I used when we forgot Baby's spoon. We do try our best to keep our table and area clean, as Baby can make quite a mess (you should see our dining table at home). Baby-friendly, and as for the Media joint, I am so happy to see that Margaret Kuo deemed my little free-trade hometown worthy to receive the bounty of their kitchen. Lunch on weekends works well, and Saturday nights are definitely busy (check out opentable.com for reservations), and weeknights may find business meeting events happening at their restaurants. Go, visit, and enjoy. I promise you, you wont' be disappointed.
(5)
John B.
The food was OK, The service was horrible. When we entered, I went to wash my hands. When I returned to my table the waitress asked me with a heavy accent what I wanted to have for dinner. I hadn't even opened my menu yet. Then she disappeared for 25 minutes. We finally ordered and within 15 minutes, everything was on the table; salad, appetizers, main course, EVERYTHING! We never saw the waitress at our table again. When we were ready to go we could not get her attention. Finally I gave my card to another waiter. A guy came back and said my card would not work. I called my visa card company to see if there was a security hold on my card. Meanwhile the guy from the restaurant hovered over me until I asked him to leave while I sorted out the problem. The visa company rep said all was fine. The restaurant refused to try my card again. I paid with a different card and went down the street to a brew house to buy a dessert. I used the card that was rejected at Kuo's without incident. I returned to Kuo's with the receipt and the dessert to show them that the problem was theirs. They told me that their machine can be quirky, but was not broken. I informed them that if the machine fails to do the job it was intended for, than it was indeed broken. Then they retreated to the kitchen and ignored me. I told them I was not happy and left. I got the distinct impression that there was nothing wrong with the machine and that they were trying to get me to pay cash. We will never return.
(1)
T C.
This is the best Chinese/Japanese food around. I am very picky when it comes to Chinese and I trust this place completely! You don't even feel terrible an hour after eating and wish it hadn't smelled so good that you devoured the entire meal! It's totally worth it! The sushi is outstanding and the rolls are colossal(in a good way). And the best thing is, eating at the restaurant you forget that you are in Media and feel like you could actually be eating in the city!!! And that is huge for a pregnant mother who doesn't get out too often these days.
(5)
Jillian P.
My Favorite sushi Place!!! Clean,Great food Good service!
(5)
John K.
Stopped in for a quart of take-out wonton soup at about 5PM. A waiter took my order and I left for ten minutes. When I returned there was no soup. The hostess took the order again and I paid her. She brought me a bag with a soup container in it. As I walked up the street to my car she came after me saying I had the wrong soup. She gave me another bag with a different container. All incidental and forgivable but the soup was awful, full of mushy wontons with no flavor.
(2)
German S.
Time for some delicious sushi.
(4)
Superfly T.
First the positives; Media is a beautiful town with a nice main street, easy parking and Margaret Kuo's is located right in the heart of town. Next the interior is clean, comfortable, quiet and intimate. I found the wait staff to be a little slow, and forgetful. We sat at the Sushi bar and had sushi started with a beer and some Miso , the Miso was barely luke warm, not a good start. Since I was at the Sushi bar, I had a chance to observe; when someone's rolling and handling raw seafood greatest care should be taken on what else they touch - we all know this, however I saw this rule being violated over and over again. No they weren't touching their face or body parts, but they did come into contact with non-sterile areas repeatedly. Finally, the guy that they were training behind the bar had zero experience and rolled and cut sushi like I do (not very good). The soft shell crab roll was very very good, and tasted simply fantastic, and the head sushi chef definitely knew what he was doing (junior did not build that roll). To sum it up, I would go back and try the Chinese cooked food, just to try. As for the Sushi, it's Chinese restaurant sushi, fair to midland in quality but does not stack up to the real thing.
(3)
Stefanie G.
The next time you are considering Chinese take-out, consider Margaret Kuo in Media. You get their superior food for the same prices as the lower quality places in the area. We were so surprised! We shared vegetarian hot and sour soup- great variety of veggies, but the flavor was little unbalanced. I actually added some rice wine vinegar for more sour. The egg rolls were delightful- light and crispy, not a trace of oil in the taste or on our hands! We had the Chinese eggplant with garlic sauce and sweet and sour chicken for entrees. Both were very flavorful and offered generous portion for left overs. Margaret Kuo is now our go-to place for awesome Chinese take-out!
(4)
Jaime J.
The first time I went to Margaret Kuo's, it was on the recommendation of a friend. At the time, I didn't eat sushi - my oversight! The menu is diverse - with both Chinese and Japanese offerings. I love MK's because it's not your typical Chinese take-out place. It's elegant and cozy. Dimly lit with gauze-y panels separating the table areas, this Chinese restaurant can actually be romantic. My most recent trip to MK's, we ordered a Dragon Roll and a Green Lady Roll. Fantastic! The spicy salmon and avocado in the dragon roll is a perfect combination of spicy, cool, and creamy. The green lady roll is topped with mint leaves and slivers of lime - very refreshing. I also had the miso soup and tempura vegetables. Beautiful presentation and friendly staff.
(4)
Mrinteresting W.
You can say what you want about Sushi joints, but don't say anything bad about Margaret Kuo's. The freshness of their sushi is outstanding, having spent time in rural Japan, where they catch the fish and eat it that very day, Kuo's is as authentic as you're going to get to the real thing. It's the ONLY place in the Greater Philadelphia area my wife and I will eat sashimi and sushi and be 100% satisfied every time we go. Always make a reservation, even if you think it's a slow day of the week. Kid friendly, with a complete Chinese as well as Japanese menu, something for everybody.
(5)
sara l.
HIGH QUALITY chinese, expecially for outside of the city. awesome sushi... awesome EVERYTHING!!!!
(4)
Sam W.
My stomach still hurts. I ate last night at 5:30pm. It is 11:30am the next day and I can't get the unfresh fish flavor out of my mouth. First off I love sushi! I am lucky enough to have been to some of the finest sushi bars in Los Angeles, Las Vegas and NYC. Having been craving sushi for 3 weeks or so and finally going out for it, I decide to try this place. Immediatly I was suprised there were no Daily Specials other than Rolls. No Traditional sashi dishes or small batch fish they decided to order because it happens to be in season like most places. The options were pretty basic and very little effort/passion/creativity was put into the menu. So I order sushi; salmon, toro, ahi, king crab, spanish mackerel, squid and tai fish. It comes out and I dig in. Finished a piece or 2 and something tasted kind of off. Then i went for the Toro, immediately I know. It was stinky, oddly firm and still frozen in the center!!!! I asked and at least they admitted it was frozen, but then they tried to play if off like it was perfectly ok. Then they started stuttering about the cost of fresh fish and they have to freeze it yada yada yada. If you buy too much, buy less next time. Do not freeze it beyond its freshness date and serve it. They have obviously lost their passion for quality as well as their respect for their customers. I'm new to this area and I love sushi so this better not be a trend around here.
(1)
Lenny C.
In a very short time this has become a landmark Media restaurant, even though it is now a small chain. The food was above average and the provincial pork shoulder was sublime! And my wife loved the Shiitake Mushroom Soup while I inhaled the Steamed Buns and the Beef Dumplings - both steamed, not fried.
(3)
Penny M.
Our college road trip continues....We came across this gem of a restaurant last night in Media, PA. We enjoyed impeccably fresh sushi, delicious (and beautifully presented) entrees (pork shoulder, noodles & a scrumptious spicy seafood dish). Service was friendly, efficient - just right. The wine list was extensive and we thoroughly enjoyed an Australian Cab. The green tea ice cream was a perfect finish!
(5)
Ashley T.
Every time I go here, the vegetarian tofu dishes are inconsistent. Most recently, the tofu szechuan I ordered had a... graininess?? to it. Like there was sand in it... You can do excellent, authentic Chinese food without meat, but I haven't been impressed here.
(2)
Mary T.
Not impressed at all...in my opinion over priced Asian food. It's a nice place for a night out. Inside is very nicely decorated and the service is actually good. I guess it makes up for the food. But then I had the best Chinese food at hole-in-the-wall places with terrible decor and service.
(2)
Ann R.
I live in the city and I've been generally unimpressed with a lot of food in the suburbs, but I was very pleased with my recent visit to Margaret Kuo's in Media. My husband and I ordered off of the Chinese side of the menu and we were very happy with the food. We had a large party that included a small baby (on a Friday night), and had no problems at all. The waitstaff was friendly and we felt welcome in the restaurant. One warning: "spicy" on the menu seems to mean different things depending on the dish. My "spicy" tangerine entree was barely spicy at all, and the "spicy" mushroom hot-and-sour soup was among the hottest hot-and-sour soups I've ever had. They were both delicious, but if you have a low (or high) tolerance for hotness, you might want to double-check with the waiter before you order a particular dish.
(4)
Tom G.
When I used to live in Swarthmore I frequented MK often. Really solid Chinese and Japanese food. Sushi isn't great but it's more than passable and it's pretty cheap when compared to the more pricey places in Philly at a similar level of quality. My favorite dish is the peking duck, served table side. Miso soup is good as are the bento box dinners. They even do the "standard" chinese dishes like Sesame Chicken extremely well. I normally say that MK is like a much better version of PF Chang's. The State Street and Granite Run locations are both excellent, although I prefer the State Street for both food and decor.
(4)
Cassidi J.
I've never had their Chinese food but Sushi was less than average. It was room temperature and was rolled up with way too much rice. The service and atmosphere was mediocre as well. Not worth the money.
(1)
Christian B.
Having lived near Media for many years, I for some reason always felt that Margaret Kuo's was more of a higher end Chinese/Japanese place, but after an amazing experience for dinner, with a shockingly great surprise at the end of the meal, I have to say this is a MTM (Must Try in Media) Atmosphere - Classic tones of black and white, along with a fully stocked bar met our party of three as we entered Margaret Kuo's off of state street. Sitting in the front of the restaurant, we were able to enjoy the hustle and bustle of the waitstaff, as well as the multitude of people coming by to pick up takeout orders. We were also greeted with peanuts, pickled cucumber, and warm towels as we sat down to look over the menu. A top notch level of service unmatched by other Asian restaurants in the area. Waitstaff - Our waitress was polite and brought our food over very quickly. With a busy dinner rush, she wasn't much for chatting, but brought our food out quickly and efficiently, and left the perfect amount of time between courses to have food. Water glasses were refilled with consistency and drinks from the bar came out in 2-3 minutes after ordering. Food - Wow, exceptional. Our party started off with shared appetizers for shrimp tempura and steamed edamame. The fresh edamame with sea salt was a perfect healthy snack to go with samples of miso soup said one of our diners. Add in Asian beers for Sapporo and Kirin from the bar, and it was a nice compliment. We had so much for appetizers and picking food, that our entrees were also stellar, but needed portions to be taken home. From the perfectly prepared General Tsao's Chicken, to the diner who went with Dumplings and Pot Stickers, to the sushi freshly made on site, all of our meals were top notch. You could really taste the difference here between those items freshly made vs the ones that were frozen. Intangibles - Full bar also includes wine as well, so this would not be considered a BYOB in my opinion. Price for three diners and the massive amount of food we received was less then $100 before tip which I was shocked and had to double check to make sure everything was on there. Takeout counter was busy the entire time, might have to swing by Media and grab some next time I'm in the mood for takeout. Overall - Margaret Kuo adds to her fantastic reputation here in our area. Food and Service are top notch, location can't be beat (less then a block from the parking garage) and restaurant atmosphere is outstanding. Can't wait to go back and try it again with new friends or family.
(5)
Laura S.
I was excited to try Margaret Kuo's. Perhaps it was the fact that it was lunchtime. The food was merely pedestrian. Hot and Sour Soup had little zip. Nothing tangy. It wasn't bad, but nothing to be excited about. Ta Chien Chicken for my entree......so very salty it was barely palatable. The highlight was the jasmine tea. But before we get too excited --they charge $6.00 for jasmine tea. The service was fine. No complaints there. Would I go back? No. With all of the wonderful restaurants in the area, no need to return.
(2)
Sierra C.
We recently tried Margaret Kuo's for the first time, and while we both had heard great reviews, we were less than enthused with our dining experience. My boyfriend ordered the Teriyaki Filet Mignon and was caught off guard when a thin beef steak was delivered to the table. Furthermore, the sea bass I ordered lacked flavor and was not memorable in the slightest. The service, however, was very nice, and I hope if we try this in the future to give their sushi a try rather than an entree.
(3)
jed p.
Take out, Chinese only, I enjoyed the general Tsoa's chicken, and some drunken noodles, and this tasty walnut shrimp, this killer duck, and perhaps there was also some rice. I was pretty happy.
(4)
Chris M.
I ordered the Pear Sakatani and it was a bit too "harsh". Maybe they could use better liquor? I had two rolls and both were good
(4)
Julie J.
Maybe this was an isolated incident because I am seeing lots of positive reviews but I had a bad experience today for lunch. To keep it simple, the sushi was not good at all. Inedible in my opinion. I ordered a spicy tuna and a tuna avocado roll. Both rolls were small, poorly assembled and tasted fishy in a less than fresh way. I politely told the waiter I couldn't eat the rolls because they didn't taste right and he was very nice about it and I was charged only for the $4 salad that I ordered. The staff seemed friendly, perhaps the non-sushi menu items are good but I don't think I'll return to find out with so many other options for good restaurants in the area.
(1)
Roger S.
Pretty average Chinese food, the meat dishes lacked many vegetables, so it was mostly meat and rice. My quarrel was the price - turns out there is no lunch menu on the weekend, so somehow we ended up spending $150 for lunch for a party of 4, with only 3 beers between us, including 15% tip!
(3)
Rachel W.
Have luved this place for years. One of my absolute favs is the house special ta chien chicken. It's spicy and delicious! The owners n staff are also delightful.
(5)
Matt B.
Nice decor and great service, but the food portions are tiny when considering the prices. As far as the quality of the food goes, this is probably the best Chinese food in Media.
(4)
Caroline S.
This review is solely for Margaret Kuo's MEDIA location. I say this first because I have only heard great things about their Wayne and Malvern spots however MK Media just doesn't equal up. I came with a rather large party (12 heads) and our reservations were made about a week in advance via OpenTable yet there was 1 server for our large party... In fact, he seemed to be the only server there (Friday night). Our drink orders weren't taken for about an hour into our visit. Then it was a continuous struggle trying to get his attention to place appetizer and entree orders (A few in our party actually left because they hadn't anticipated spending 5 hours out for dinner). When the waiter was taking my order, I repeated myself a few times because he seemed to be drifting off into outer space and he also was not writing anything down. So I was not entirely shocked that when meals were served there were a few entrees missing. However when we asked the waiter about this I was shocked by his careless reply, "you didn't order that"... Um okay. Not even a "I'm sorry" or "Can I put that in now for you?".. Very awkward. Also what is actually served is kind of laughable. Two in our party ordered the Chilean sea bass, one's fish was literally twice the size of the others... The only difference? The sauces they chose. I wasn't impressed by the majority of the menu and it is definitely overpriced for what you are getting. Skip the dessert menu. Everything that is worth ordering they no longer have and the rest is awful. ... Just do your wallet a favor and skip Margaret Kuo's Media entirely.
(2)
Walt B.
Menu offers a wide variety of dishes and tastes. I have eaten all over China and am fussy about my Chinese food, but every one of the six dishes we ordered was nothing short of excellent.
(5)
Laurence B.
Consistently good Chinese food. If you like sauce ask for extra as they run light. Good size portions. Restaurant is nice and clean when dining in. I like the nuts and gurkins! When I want Chinese this is my default.
(4)
Harry S.
We always go to Peking at the Granite Run Mall because of the convenience. All the food, and especially the sushi, is always outstanding and the service is excellent. Roy, the Manager, runs a great restaurant and always greets us when we come in. Strongly recommend this restaurant. We've been going for 25 years.
(5)
Julia T.
I went to Swarthmore College and this is my absolute favorite restaurant in the area. The spicy tuna roll is amazing and the peanuts and cucumbers they give to you as a meal starter are my favorite. Their chinese dishes are also awesome and I would occasionally get the general tso's chicken. Their egg rolls were always piping hot and delicious. It is a great place for a quiet dinner and I can't wait to go back!
(4)
Patty V.
My son & I came here for lunch today 4/8/14. The food & service was extraordinary. Our server was wonderful, he was very attentive & professional. We both started off with egg rolls which were very tasty. We had a choice of soup which came with our lunch specials, the hot & sour soup was excellent. I had Kung Pao chicken & my son had General Tsaos chicken, and Roast pork fried rice all dishes were remarkable. Our experiences at Margaret Kuo Signature Restaurants have been nothing but amazing :) my son who is a Chef was honored to meet Madam Kuo herself a few months ago, she's a wonderful woman. When you come to any Margaret Kuo Signature Restaurant, The food spectacular & service is commendable and everything from Appetizers, Soups, & Entrees are outstanding, You will not be disappointed. Highly Recommended!
(5)
Rita C.
So after driving by Margaret's Kuo's for the last 5 years or so, I finally got the chance to check it out one rainy night in Media....and then I was back two weeks later for Dining Under the Stars. That being said, I really, really like the food and atmosphere at here, but like many have mentioned, the service absolutely ruins it. The first time, my boyfriend and I were seated in the back of the restaurant, which is super dark. It was nice to see the sushi chefs doing their thing, though, so I really shouldn't complain that much. For drinks, we had the lychee and mango martinis. Both were absolutely delicious! Mixed well with just enough of the good stuff. Then we waited...and waited..and waited to place our dinner orders. We ended up getting the wasabi shumai for an appetizer and jumbo spider, fancy dragon, tiger, and natuto cucumber rolls to split. After we ordered, I asked the waiter if there was anything we ordered with nuts in it since my boyfriend is allergic - he just stared at me. So, I asked again. He said no and walked away. Odd. Anyway, we got our food and were really happy with everything that came out. The shumai was flavorful, but not overpowering; the sushi was super fresh and expertly prepared. We really enjoyed our meal! And then we waited a good twenty minutes before ever seeing another waiter to ask for our check. I really, really don't understand this! The second time around, I decided to try out the Mandarin Lamb. Think mooshu but with delicious, sweet lamb. It's my new favorite! I would definitely get this again, but would possibly skip the pancakes and instead eat the lamb with rice. In closing - I really wanted to love Margaret Kuo's because of the food (since that's why we're all going there, right?), but the experience was killed by the waitstaff both times I was there. This wouldn't be my first choice of restaurant if I was going out in Media, but I would probably go here again.
(3)
Arthur K.
best sushi sashimi japanese chinese anywhere in the pa suburbs. only yang ming can compare, but they are chinese only. full bar and superb service.
(5)
Adi R.
Every time we come here, we are very satisfied and pleased. It is like a nice fusion of Japanese, Chinese and all in between. The food is great and the sauce for dishes such as General Tsao's Chicken and Tangerine Three Delicacies is simply perfect. Many flavors over layed onto each other give it a great taste. Sushi bar is awesome especially since this place is not a dedicated sushi bar. This place is definitely one of the top chinese places I have been to. More great experiences to come.
(5)
Amanda G.
My husband and I got take-out from here last night. Overall, everything was OK. Nothing stood out as being spectacular to me, though. The eggrolls were pretty standard, but they really skimped on the sauces (need more duck sauce, please!). We also got the szechuan dumplings, which we thought were covered in chopped nuts. I found out very quickly that, no, it wasn't nuts...it was no less than one bulb of chopped garlic. WOWZA. I'm still rockin' that garlic breath today. The spicy pepper tuna roll was not that great. The tuna was seared, so it was pretty tough, and the texture just wasn't good for sushi. The salmon avocado roll was fine. They did mess up one part of our order. My husband asked for eel nigiri, but they gave him eel sashimi. Anywho, everything we ate was edible, but nothing was special, and the prices weren't especially competitive. I doubt we'll be making an attempt to go back.
(3)
P E.
My favorite dining partner needed their Kung Pao chicken fix. This place still offers the best Chinese at this end of the county. It did not disappoint. The gyoza were also very well done with the perfect balance between the frying and steaming. The pork lo mein was flavorless and was disappointing compared to previous visits. They still offer peanuts and pickled cucumber at the start of the meal. Service is always perfunctory at all of the establishments run by Kuo. On this visit it appeared that our waitress may have been training a young man. He kept shadowing her but was dressed in a bubble-style winter jacket and just seemed to hover unnaturally behind her.
(4)
R H.
Just had a great dinner...started out with deliciously seasoned fresh pickled cucumber. Lobster spring roll and scallion pancake were good. Peking Duck was flavorful and not greasy...wrapped for us tableside! Peking shrimp was also delicious. Don't be afraid of the amount garlic...it is so delicious on some rice. And whoever complained about the price of the Jasmine tea in one of the reviews I read is so wrong...it was worth the money...great quality Jasmine tea. Service was prompt and waitstaff was polite and courteous. It was a very enjoyable meal and we will certainly return.
(5)
Glynnis O.
Went here on a frigid November evening, and with plenty of room in the warm back of the restaurant, were promptly seated next to the front door. This place has a ton of take out customers, so every time a person opened the door, we got an icy breeze to wake us up in between sips of water. The service was as average as non native speakers go, interjected by hilarious musings by a staff member behind the bar nursing a Midori colored drink, but unfortunately our stoic waiter didn't see the humor. I got the beef skewers as an appetizer, which were excellent, and I carried this excitement over to the main course. Unfortunately, it was mediocre at best. I ordered the hot pepper chicken, while my husband got pork katsu. The chicken tasted old and was covered in almost pure corn syrup with a few crushed red pepper flakes for show that had lost all flavor. The pork katsu had a weird taste to it, like it had been freezer burnt, and the breading was very strange and unappetizing as well. According to my husband, this place used to be great, but it seems they have abandoned the great food but kept the high prices (about 60 dollars without alcohol). There was a constant heavy stream of customers picking up to-go orders, so it wasn't just a kitchen trying to clear out whatever they didn't sell that weekend, so I assume the quality is consistent. I know I certainly can't afford coming back to risk challenging that assumption.
(3)
Jen N.
My husband and I ate here after recommendations from everyone we've met. We spent a year in China and have high expectations of Chinese food: Margaret Kuo's didn't disappoint! The dumplings were fresh, and steamed in a traditional bamboo steamer. The egg rolls were hot and crispy. They had plenty of Asian variety to make it easy to find something you want. The sushi looked delicious. They get full up very quickly, so make a reservation! You can also order take out, which we'll be doing! Definitely going back!
(5)
Angela B.
Mediocre, and the food was cold. I expect a lot more from a $70 meal for just two people. We got the PE King duck which the waiter insisted was a whole duck that we would be best splitting - no way. It was shavings of a duck - with no flavor. The dessert we ordered was frozen - literally frozen and not edible. Our waiter was mediocre and had no idea what he was doing. Truly awful! I don't see the fuss on this place.
(1)
texas w.
its solid, but it's not a go to spot...a bit pricy for what it is. drink menu is on point. Japanese offerings are very well done; imaginative and fresh on the sushi side, solid on the cooked side. Chinese food is way over priced, but tasty. ive never been disappointed, here. service tends to be pretty fast for the volume they do and they do a booming biz (lots of take out) the tv's in the dining room are distracting, but that's my fault for looking.
(3)
Dave H.
Dined with a friend who's pickier than God; she wasn't willing to eat anywhere else. Thankfully their (decent) hot and sour soup warmed her up. Their main room is decorated beautifully, with sprawling Chinese characters along the walls. Real estate is tight (a bar takes up a lot of space), but small groups will do just fine. It was crowded, but we snagged seats at the sushi bar. Due to the crowd, servers weren't ever-present, but that meant more privacy. Besides, sushi chef Ken met all of our sushi-loving needs. Thanks to Ken, we sampled a couple of outstanding rolls, including the substantial Crazy roll ($11.95), jam-packed with eel, shrimp, crab, smoked salmon, cucumber, avocado, and egg, plus caviar. Easily a meal by itself, several bites are needed to subdue it. The highlight of the night? The Green Lady roll ($10.95). Cucumber, avocado, scallion, sprouts, striped bass, mint leaves, and LIME, it was wonderfully fresh, almost like eating a drink.
(4)
Andrea H.
I have been coming here for over 10 years and it continues to be best Chinese food I have ever had. They have a great Japanese menu too and the sushi is fantastic. Service is always great and food is wonderful!
(5)
Sara L.
When this place originally opened in the 90's, it was wonderful. I've been going here for years. But recently, within the last year or two, I'd say, I've had nothing but bad experiences. The first time I chalked it up to a language barrier. My husband is vegan, so when he ordered, he asked if the item was vegan since it gave no explanation of what was in the dish. They said, oh yes, it was vegan. It came out with eggs. He didn't eat it, and they wouldn't take it off the bill. The second time, it was Dining Under the Stars (a weekly summer event in Media) and my parents and I were looking for a place to eat. There were at least 12 tables set up outside, 4 tables of 6 and 8 tables to 2. Since there were three of us, we selected a table of 6 (no one was around to seat us and it was outdoors.) The owner came right up after we sat and said, "you have to be out of here by 7pm. Lots of reservations". I said, "well it's 5pm, and no one sat, so if we're done, we're done, and if not, too bad." Now i realize that this wasn't the most friendly response, but I was quite bristly from this exchange. And then, to top it off, the service was unbearably slow. If you want me out fast, I expect fast service. Furthermore, the couple behind us also had the same experience, even at a table for 2 people. They were told the could bring their own wine if they drank it outside, but upon being sat outside, they were then told, #1, they too had to be out by 7pm, #2 no BYO. Very annoying. For the prices, you'd think they'd splurge for a "Reserved" sign.
(1)
Marissa S.
Went here for lunch with some friends... The sushi was alright and pricey. I've had better. I could not understand my waiter (native-speaking.) The ambience and decor is very nice.
(3)
Jen L.
This place tries to offer a more upscale Chinese food option instead of being another take out place, but frankly that just doesn't do much for me, as it just comes across as overpriced and stuffy. They do have a few item on the menu that are a little off the beaten track and a little more authentic, such as the leek pancake appetizer. Not sure if it's always on the menu as it was over a year ago on Valentine's Day when I had them, but they were exactly as my family makes them back in China and I got a little excited. Overall, though, I am more likely to get take out from Jing Fong, stay in and watch movies while eating my Chinese food. I know my preferences are probably not typical here, since when I go out to eat I prefer to get things I can't make easily myself, or it better be much better and cheaper than I can make it myself. For a more upscale and authentic dine-in experience in the suburbs, I highly recommend Han Dynasty instead.
(3)
Jonathan G.
I went with my family last night to celebrate a big occasion and was pretty disappointed. I will start off by saying that the food and ambience are both really good however the service was atrocious! It was clear from the start that the waiter had no idea what he was doing. We ordered a large bottle of Sake for the table and he was extremely confused. He must have asked me 3 times if this was right when presenting the bottle as if we had to have made a mistake. He didn't even know to bring a wine bucket with cold sake. This guy had no idea about service. My father ordered a filet and he had no idea that the needed to ask what temperature. I can be somewhat forgiving if you are new but at the very least be attentive which he was definitely not. Right after he took our order he disappeared for the rest of the night and what seemed to be the food runner sort of took over. Never checked back, never asked if anyone needed any refills etc... And to add insult to injury, all of the food came out room temp! I get it if maybe one plate isn't hot but the entire table!!! What can I say Margaret. When spending over $40 per person I expect a little more!
(2)
David L.
Just love the place. Sushi is absolutely solid and staff is professional. Never had a bad experience. Try the take out too. Good choice for Media's "Dining Under the Stars" in the summer.
(4)
Louis B.
Excellent dining venue in the middle of quaint Media PA downtown. The trolley whizzes by and it creates a wonderful scene in this little old town. My only wish is that they had outdoor seating like most of the other restaurants around them. But that would be icing on the cake. We went in and were seated immediately. Then we had a wonderful dinner. Tempura and Seafood and Vegetables, way plenty for two. Quality, ambiance and service were superior. As usual.
(4)
Dee M.
I do agree with previous reviewers that service does seem to have slipped. I am a big MK fan having gone to her restaurants for over the last 30 years starting out with Peking which was in the "old setting " Granite Run Mall. I went there as an older teen in the late 70's and I was spoiled forever for Chinese food. The food is really good here but the service could be better and it would be nice if some of the things she does in Wayne were also done here.
(3)
Vivian H.
They have a huge menu of Chinese, Japanese, and kind of American food (mm sea bass!) I tried the tonkatsu and chicken/veggie moo shu. Both were huge portions, like it would feed 1.5 people comfortably. The tonkatsu was kind of dry, and the moo shu was too salty I thought. Maybe I should have tried the sushi or some other seafood. The service is good, and the place is really fancy, but the food doesn't really back that up. I don't really think it's worth the price tag.
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Specialities
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Trendy Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
The popularity of Chinese food in America can be adjudicated by the appearance of China Town in many major cities in the United State of America. The popular trend of ordering or opting for Chinese take away food isn't unknown in America. Chinese take away food comes to rescue when you're too tired from work or too exhausted to cook. No one can resist the temptation of eating spicy noodles, shrimp, chicken, beef or pork cooked in the sweet and spicy sauce. The cooking method of authentic Chinese food is a lot different compared to what is served in America.
Generally, Chinese use dark meat small bones and organs to cook dishes but this changes when you are eating American-Chinese fusion food prepared using white boneless meat cooked with broccoli, carrots and onions. Back in China, the food is less spicy and oily as they favor steaming and braising method for cooking the most popular dishes. So, if you have a taste for authentic Chinese food, then try finding a real Chinese restaurant in the city. You can also try the most popular fusion Chinese food like Pecking Duck, Chicken Feet, Hot Pot, Shrimp Dumpling Soup, Mapo Tofu, Wontons, Chop Suey, Egg Rolls and not to forget Fortune Cookies.
There are not many restaurants in America serving authentic Chinese food. A little research on Restaurant Listings directory can help you locate the best Chinese restaurants in the city. Chinese cuisine is continuously evolving, and you can find a variety of dishes categorized as the food for lactose intolerant, gluten intolerant, vegan, vegetarian, and diabetic friendly. So, if you have a group of friends with different taste patterns, save the hassle and visit the nearest Chinese restaurant in your city.
JB B.
Got take out on Saturday night. Not your average Asian restaurant. The Tangerine Three Delicacies we tremendous and when they say "spicy" they know what "spicy": means. The scallops and shrimp were better than you find in most Asian takeout, the chicken, unfortunately is knotted fried scraps. Only negative. In fact next time I order it, I'll order it without the chicken.
(4)German S.
Time for some delicious sushi.
(4)Stefanie G.
The next time you are considering Chinese take-out, consider Margaret Kuo in Media. You get their superior food for the same prices as the lower quality places in the area. We were so surprised! We shared vegetarian hot and sour soup- great variety of veggies, but the flavor was little unbalanced. I actually added some rice wine vinegar for more sour. The egg rolls were delightful- light and crispy, not a trace of oil in the taste or on our hands! We had the Chinese eggplant with garlic sauce and sweet and sour chicken for entrees. Both were very flavorful and offered generous portion for left overs. Margaret Kuo is now our go-to place for awesome Chinese take-out!
(4)Dee M.
I do agree with previous reviewers that service does seem to have slipped. I am a big MK fan having gone to her restaurants for over the last 30 years starting out with Peking which was in the "old setting " Granite Run Mall. I went there as an older teen in the late 70's and I was spoiled forever for Chinese food. The food is really good here but the service could be better and it would be nice if some of the things she does in Wayne were also done here.
(3)Superfly T.
First the positives; Media is a beautiful town with a nice main street, easy parking and Margaret Kuo's is located right in the heart of town. Next the interior is clean, comfortable, quiet and intimate. I found the wait staff to be a little slow, and forgetful. We sat at the Sushi bar and had sushi started with a beer and some Miso , the Miso was barely luke warm, not a good start. Since I was at the Sushi bar, I had a chance to observe; when someone's rolling and handling raw seafood greatest care should be taken on what else they touch - we all know this, however I saw this rule being violated over and over again. No they weren't touching their face or body parts, but they did come into contact with non-sterile areas repeatedly. Finally, the guy that they were training behind the bar had zero experience and rolled and cut sushi like I do (not very good). The soft shell crab roll was very very good, and tasted simply fantastic, and the head sushi chef definitely knew what he was doing (junior did not build that roll). To sum it up, I would go back and try the Chinese cooked food, just to try. As for the Sushi, it's Chinese restaurant sushi, fair to midland in quality but does not stack up to the real thing.
(3)Lenny C.
In a very short time this has become a landmark Media restaurant, even though it is now a small chain. The food was above average and the provincial pork shoulder was sublime! And my wife loved the Shiitake Mushroom Soup while I inhaled the Steamed Buns and the Beef Dumplings - both steamed, not fried.
(3)Mrinteresting W.
You can say what you want about Sushi joints, but don't say anything bad about Margaret Kuo's. The freshness of their sushi is outstanding, having spent time in rural Japan, where they catch the fish and eat it that very day, Kuo's is as authentic as you're going to get to the real thing. It's the ONLY place in the Greater Philadelphia area my wife and I will eat sashimi and sushi and be 100% satisfied every time we go. Always make a reservation, even if you think it's a slow day of the week. Kid friendly, with a complete Chinese as well as Japanese menu, something for everybody.
(5)Penny M.
Our college road trip continues....We came across this gem of a restaurant last night in Media, PA. We enjoyed impeccably fresh sushi, delicious (and beautifully presented) entrees (pork shoulder, noodles & a scrumptious spicy seafood dish). Service was friendly, efficient - just right. The wine list was extensive and we thoroughly enjoyed an Australian Cab. The green tea ice cream was a perfect finish!
(5)Ashley T.
Every time I go here, the vegetarian tofu dishes are inconsistent. Most recently, the tofu szechuan I ordered had a... graininess?? to it. Like there was sand in it... You can do excellent, authentic Chinese food without meat, but I haven't been impressed here.
(2)Mary T.
Not impressed at all...in my opinion over priced Asian food. It's a nice place for a night out. Inside is very nicely decorated and the service is actually good. I guess it makes up for the food. But then I had the best Chinese food at hole-in-the-wall places with terrible decor and service.
(2)Jillian P.
My Favorite sushi Place!!! Clean,Great food Good service!
(5)Ann R.
I live in the city and I've been generally unimpressed with a lot of food in the suburbs, but I was very pleased with my recent visit to Margaret Kuo's in Media. My husband and I ordered off of the Chinese side of the menu and we were very happy with the food. We had a large party that included a small baby (on a Friday night), and had no problems at all. The waitstaff was friendly and we felt welcome in the restaurant. One warning: "spicy" on the menu seems to mean different things depending on the dish. My "spicy" tangerine entree was barely spicy at all, and the "spicy" mushroom hot-and-sour soup was among the hottest hot-and-sour soups I've ever had. They were both delicious, but if you have a low (or high) tolerance for hotness, you might want to double-check with the waiter before you order a particular dish.
(4)Tom G.
When I used to live in Swarthmore I frequented MK often. Really solid Chinese and Japanese food. Sushi isn't great but it's more than passable and it's pretty cheap when compared to the more pricey places in Philly at a similar level of quality. My favorite dish is the peking duck, served table side. Miso soup is good as are the bento box dinners. They even do the "standard" chinese dishes like Sesame Chicken extremely well. I normally say that MK is like a much better version of PF Chang's. The State Street and Granite Run locations are both excellent, although I prefer the State Street for both food and decor.
(4)Thomas G.
Their menu could use an update but overall the food here is really good. However, Bre P is right: this place used to be a lot better. They used to seat you quick, give you a hot towel to freshen up, and have your drinks to you in no time. Now, even after making a reservation we still had to wait a total time of almost an hour before we were eating. I realize of course that the restaurant gets busy, but there also seems to be a general lack of organization which slows things down. Also, most of the servers are not very friendly, which wouldn't bother me if they were more attentive. Then again, the sushi bar is always open and they do takeout. Overall, we will go back, but we aren't expecting to be blown away.
(3)K G.
This place is great! It's in a cute area, and the sushi is fresh and delicious -you'd think you were downtown. It was pricy but we were satisfied with our meal. It was nice to go to a restaurant with a fresh variety of fish. In the area, all we've ever found is moderately priced Japanese Hibachi restaurants specializing in imitation crabmeat sushi. I'm so glad we went to Margaret Kuo's where I was able to get the fresh sashimi I love! If you're not downtown, know good sushi, and can afford the pricey meal...come here. The decor and atmosphere is cute and trendy also.
(4)Chelsea P.
Adorable, intimate, and just plain yummy sushi! For the atmosphere I was expecting higher prices but it was not bad at all!
(4)Felicia D.
The sushi here at Margaret Kuo's in little old Media is far better than any in Philadelphia at a similar price point. Very fresh fish, with judicious use of spicy sauce and other condiments. Waiter service varies from wandering clueless to prompt and smiling. The miso soup here is outstanding, with a delicate fermented flavor and tender cubes of tofu. My constant dinner is miso, seaweed salad, spicy tuna maki, salmon avocado maki and a Green Lady roll- various white fishes wrapped in thin slices of lime. Margaret Kuo has several restaurants- this is my favorite, with a close second being Peking, in the Granite Run Mall. It's not cheap but it's totally worth it.
(4)Ayo K.
LOVE LOVE LOVE MARGARET KUO'S! Try the Rock Shrimp and the Dragon Roll. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE this place.
(5)Dan C.
I came here with two friends to celebrate the end of midterms. We all ordered sushi platters, which came with generously sliced pieces of sashimi. The sushi wasn't as good considering what we paid, but the decor was excellent. We were seated on the Japanese side which had tasteful guaze and mahogany wood separating tables, and I liked the four calligraphies of the seasons. One of the owners, however, began yelling in hushed tones to the sushi chef in Chinese about he was giving portions that were too large! One of us knew Chinese and translated for the rest of the table, and I have to say that this minor spectacle detracted (and added to) our dining experience. Funny, but really now?
(3)Andrew E.
Good sushi and Chinese food. A bit expensive but worth it.
(4)Karen T.
Nice Chinese/Japanese restaurant in a cute area. My dining companion and I ordered the same thing: Tempura Udon. They were very gracious about omitting MSG at my request. It took a little longer than I expected for the food to come out but all was forgiven when it did. The serving was huge! Felt like I was in Texas again. A plate of nicely prepared tempura (sweet potato, broccoli, onion, shrimp, eggplant), tempura dipping sauce, and a giant bowl of udon with veggies, sliced mushrooms and tasty both. Very tasty and it justified the $15 price tag.
(4)Shawn S.
By far the best sushi in Philly. I have eaten here numerous times and the fish is the highest quality and the wine selection is amazing. The prices are reasonable ad well.
(5)Blake F.
when my coworkers & i have a hankering for good chinese food AND sushi, we forgo the slightly cheaper/chinese-only delivery place, and call in a take-out order to margaret kuo's. it's worth it. even better is when i have the opportunity to dine inside the restaurant which was renovated a few years ago - one side featuring an elegantly simple chinese decor, the other a slightly more traditional japanese feel, complete with the sushi bar and a private party room with floor seating. but make no mistake, it doesn't matter where you sit, you can order food from both menus! as a vegetarian, i really enjoy asian cuisine as it offers a variety of options, many of which are centered around tofu (yay protein!)...yet when i go to MK i find myself guilty of one of my typical dining no-no's: i ALWAYS get the same thing - it's just THAT good! and that would be the tofu homestyle (which i request to be served with brown rice i/o white). tender chunks of tofu along with mushrooms & bamboo shoots in what is quite possibly the best (and spiciest!) garlic sauce i have ever tasted. yum! i don't get more than an avocado or oshinko roll when it comes to sushi...but those, as well as the miso soup & seaweed salad, have all been excellent. and my fish-eating dining companions have only ever had good things to say about their selections. oh, and instead of the typical crunchy chinese noodles with duck sauce to munch on while you peruse the menu, MK provides 2 nibbling plates: roasted peanuts and pickled cucumbers, both of which are deliciously addictive. but be forewarned, they will not bring out additional plates once your food arrives, even when you ask. i suppose if you offer to pay extra...? i was a bit miffed at first, but in all honesty, i'm glad to have not been allowed to over indulge on snacks before my meal!
(5)Vincent P.
This is about my third visit here and we have had a pleasant experience each time. It was a little tough figuring out the vegetarian options for me so I went with old faithful "vegetable tempura" and an appetizer dish that was basically deep fried tofu. My wife had the veggie spring roll and the daring (LOL) vegetable fried rice. All selections were good except my fried tofu. If was very oily and fell apart when trying to eat it. Really just a minor quibble. One other thing the miso soup to me is a step down from other good Japanese restaurants that I have tried. Not bad mind you, just not as good. One last thing. Is Sapporo beer getting less disgusting than is used to be or was I really that thirsty? It was good in a bland sort of way. Kind of like getting the Yuengling because the bar doesn't have Yards. All in all a good place to stop in for a bite.
(3)caitlin p.
Tangerine chicken is amazing-light flavor and easily the most popular dish we ordered. The rest of the chinese menu came out very flavorful, just wish we had room for other stuff! We saw other tables getting a huge boatful (literally, a dragon boat) of sushi, it looked like a ton. Watch out!
(5)sara l.
HIGH QUALITY chinese, expecially for outside of the city. awesome sushi... awesome EVERYTHING!!!!
(4)John B.
The food was OK, The service was horrible. When we entered, I went to wash my hands. When I returned to my table the waitress asked me with a heavy accent what I wanted to have for dinner. I hadn't even opened my menu yet. Then she disappeared for 25 minutes. We finally ordered and within 15 minutes, everything was on the table; salad, appetizers, main course, EVERYTHING! We never saw the waitress at our table again. When we were ready to go we could not get her attention. Finally I gave my card to another waiter. A guy came back and said my card would not work. I called my visa card company to see if there was a security hold on my card. Meanwhile the guy from the restaurant hovered over me until I asked him to leave while I sorted out the problem. The visa company rep said all was fine. The restaurant refused to try my card again. I paid with a different card and went down the street to a brew house to buy a dessert. I used the card that was rejected at Kuo's without incident. I returned to Kuo's with the receipt and the dessert to show them that the problem was theirs. They told me that their machine can be quirky, but was not broken. I informed them that if the machine fails to do the job it was intended for, than it was indeed broken. Then they retreated to the kitchen and ignored me. I told them I was not happy and left. I got the distinct impression that there was nothing wrong with the machine and that they were trying to get me to pay cash. We will never return.
(1)T C.
This is the best Chinese/Japanese food around. I am very picky when it comes to Chinese and I trust this place completely! You don't even feel terrible an hour after eating and wish it hadn't smelled so good that you devoured the entire meal! It's totally worth it! The sushi is outstanding and the rolls are colossal(in a good way). And the best thing is, eating at the restaurant you forget that you are in Media and feel like you could actually be eating in the city!!! And that is huge for a pregnant mother who doesn't get out too often these days.
(5)Dave H.
Dined with a friend who's pickier than God; she wasn't willing to eat anywhere else. Thankfully their (decent) hot and sour soup warmed her up. Their main room is decorated beautifully, with sprawling Chinese characters along the walls. Real estate is tight (a bar takes up a lot of space), but small groups will do just fine. It was crowded, but we snagged seats at the sushi bar. Due to the crowd, servers weren't ever-present, but that meant more privacy. Besides, sushi chef Ken met all of our sushi-loving needs. Thanks to Ken, we sampled a couple of outstanding rolls, including the substantial Crazy roll ($11.95), jam-packed with eel, shrimp, crab, smoked salmon, cucumber, avocado, and egg, plus caviar. Easily a meal by itself, several bites are needed to subdue it. The highlight of the night? The Green Lady roll ($10.95). Cucumber, avocado, scallion, sprouts, striped bass, mint leaves, and LIME, it was wonderfully fresh, almost like eating a drink.
(4)Eran M.
(vegan / vegetarian) Margaret Kuo used to be one of our favorite places to go. We enjoy their veggie sushi rolls, as well as their tofu kung pao (which is not listed in the menu, but is very delicious). The waiters are generally friendly. Unfortunately, they seem to be slipping. In the past few months, service has been getting worse - while still friendly, they are now very slow. Examples from our last visit: After being seated, it took about 10 minutes for a waiter to come by and offer us water. After we ordered (salad, sushi, tofu kung pao), the salad took another 20 minutes to come out. The sushi eventually arrived, but no tofu kung pao - perhaps the waiter thought the sushi was an appetizer? But the waiter never asked, and we ended up finishing the sushi, canceling the tofu, and heading out. I hope Margaret Kuo's in Media gets back on its game. We used to enjoy the place, and it's unfortunate that we've had repeatedly bad (and worsening) experiences there over the past few months, mainly due to slowing service.
(2)Tim B.
3 1/2 stars, really. Look, you will not get anything bad here. It's all nicely done. It's way better than the average generic suburban Chinese. But it is generic suburban Chinese & Japanese, really, just well-executed and consistent. This is when the word "solid" is both a compliment and a criticism. You are not ever going to get anything here where you say, "Holy cow, they do that better than anybody else" or "I've never really had that dish made in that way, that was interesting or really delicious". But you are not going to get something and say, "That was crap, what were they thinking", either. This is one of those reliable joints that you're glad to have around, even if you also wistfully remember the really awesome Chinese or Japanese food you had somewhere else. Good for takeout too.
(3)Sam W.
My stomach still hurts. I ate last night at 5:30pm. It is 11:30am the next day and I can't get the unfresh fish flavor out of my mouth. First off I love sushi! I am lucky enough to have been to some of the finest sushi bars in Los Angeles, Las Vegas and NYC. Having been craving sushi for 3 weeks or so and finally going out for it, I decide to try this place. Immediatly I was suprised there were no Daily Specials other than Rolls. No Traditional sashi dishes or small batch fish they decided to order because it happens to be in season like most places. The options were pretty basic and very little effort/passion/creativity was put into the menu. So I order sushi; salmon, toro, ahi, king crab, spanish mackerel, squid and tai fish. It comes out and I dig in. Finished a piece or 2 and something tasted kind of off. Then i went for the Toro, immediately I know. It was stinky, oddly firm and still frozen in the center!!!! I asked and at least they admitted it was frozen, but then they tried to play if off like it was perfectly ok. Then they started stuttering about the cost of fresh fish and they have to freeze it yada yada yada. If you buy too much, buy less next time. Do not freeze it beyond its freshness date and serve it. They have obviously lost their passion for quality as well as their respect for their customers. I'm new to this area and I love sushi so this better not be a trend around here.
(1)Cax D.
Popped in here for dinner/Dining Under The Stars. I had the Kung Pao chicken, my husband had the General Tso's. Both tasted great, albeit spicy (as they should be)! The service was pretty sub-par; our waiter took forever to refill our waters, which we certainly noticed because we were dying of thirst after eating the spicy food. Also took way too long to get our check. However, this is probably normal for Dining Under the Stars so we gave them a pass. Would definitely eat here again, probably for takeout.
(4)Karen F.
Had a wonderful lunch for 4 adults plus my 9 year old. Excellent lunch specials (Chinese) and sushi, especially the "Flamingo Roll" ($15 - ouch) with Mango, Avocado & Salmon over a shrimp tempura roll. Wild salmon Nigiri ($3.50 for one piece) was heavenly. Hamachi nigiri ($3.00) was very good also. Great lunchtime service and bill was around $80.00 (no alcohol, no dessert ordered).
(4)Sierra C.
We recently tried Margaret Kuo's for the first time, and while we both had heard great reviews, we were less than enthused with our dining experience. My boyfriend ordered the Teriyaki Filet Mignon and was caught off guard when a thin beef steak was delivered to the table. Furthermore, the sea bass I ordered lacked flavor and was not memorable in the slightest. The service, however, was very nice, and I hope if we try this in the future to give their sushi a try rather than an entree.
(3)Rachel W.
Have luved this place for years. One of my absolute favs is the house special ta chien chicken. It's spicy and delicious! The owners n staff are also delightful.
(5)Matt B.
Nice decor and great service, but the food portions are tiny when considering the prices. As far as the quality of the food goes, this is probably the best Chinese food in Media.
(4)Christian B.
Having lived near Media for many years, I for some reason always felt that Margaret Kuo's was more of a higher end Chinese/Japanese place, but after an amazing experience for dinner, with a shockingly great surprise at the end of the meal, I have to say this is a MTM (Must Try in Media) Atmosphere - Classic tones of black and white, along with a fully stocked bar met our party of three as we entered Margaret Kuo's off of state street. Sitting in the front of the restaurant, we were able to enjoy the hustle and bustle of the waitstaff, as well as the multitude of people coming by to pick up takeout orders. We were also greeted with peanuts, pickled cucumber, and warm towels as we sat down to look over the menu. A top notch level of service unmatched by other Asian restaurants in the area. Waitstaff - Our waitress was polite and brought our food over very quickly. With a busy dinner rush, she wasn't much for chatting, but brought our food out quickly and efficiently, and left the perfect amount of time between courses to have food. Water glasses were refilled with consistency and drinks from the bar came out in 2-3 minutes after ordering. Food - Wow, exceptional. Our party started off with shared appetizers for shrimp tempura and steamed edamame. The fresh edamame with sea salt was a perfect healthy snack to go with samples of miso soup said one of our diners. Add in Asian beers for Sapporo and Kirin from the bar, and it was a nice compliment. We had so much for appetizers and picking food, that our entrees were also stellar, but needed portions to be taken home. From the perfectly prepared General Tsao's Chicken, to the diner who went with Dumplings and Pot Stickers, to the sushi freshly made on site, all of our meals were top notch. You could really taste the difference here between those items freshly made vs the ones that were frozen. Intangibles - Full bar also includes wine as well, so this would not be considered a BYOB in my opinion. Price for three diners and the massive amount of food we received was less then $100 before tip which I was shocked and had to double check to make sure everything was on there. Takeout counter was busy the entire time, might have to swing by Media and grab some next time I'm in the mood for takeout. Overall - Margaret Kuo adds to her fantastic reputation here in our area. Food and Service are top notch, location can't be beat (less then a block from the parking garage) and restaurant atmosphere is outstanding. Can't wait to go back and try it again with new friends or family.
(5)Robbi R.
I recently took my adult daughter out for her Birthday dinner at Margaret Kuos in Media. We were seated in the back at a row of very close tables, low and behold they seated a family right smack next to us (even though there were other tables) with 2 screaming toddlers, that persisted in yelling throughout our meal. We were unable to talk or enjoy our dinner! I did complain to management, but at that point it was too late, our meal and evening out were already ruined! I guess the food was good, but we had to eat so quickly, I'm not quite sure. I think it was very ignorant to put screaming toddlers about 6 inches away from adult diners, when there were plenty of other seats! It shows me that management here is not at all concerned with the comfort of their guests.
(1)Amanda G.
My husband and I got take-out from here last night. Overall, everything was OK. Nothing stood out as being spectacular to me, though. The eggrolls were pretty standard, but they really skimped on the sauces (need more duck sauce, please!). We also got the szechuan dumplings, which we thought were covered in chopped nuts. I found out very quickly that, no, it wasn't nuts...it was no less than one bulb of chopped garlic. WOWZA. I'm still rockin' that garlic breath today. The spicy pepper tuna roll was not that great. The tuna was seared, so it was pretty tough, and the texture just wasn't good for sushi. The salmon avocado roll was fine. They did mess up one part of our order. My husband asked for eel nigiri, but they gave him eel sashimi. Anywho, everything we ate was edible, but nothing was special, and the prices weren't especially competitive. I doubt we'll be making an attempt to go back.
(3)P E.
My favorite dining partner needed their Kung Pao chicken fix. This place still offers the best Chinese at this end of the county. It did not disappoint. The gyoza were also very well done with the perfect balance between the frying and steaming. The pork lo mein was flavorless and was disappointing compared to previous visits. They still offer peanuts and pickled cucumber at the start of the meal. Service is always perfunctory at all of the establishments run by Kuo. On this visit it appeared that our waitress may have been training a young man. He kept shadowing her but was dressed in a bubble-style winter jacket and just seemed to hover unnaturally behind her.
(4)R H.
Just had a great dinner...started out with deliciously seasoned fresh pickled cucumber. Lobster spring roll and scallion pancake were good. Peking Duck was flavorful and not greasy...wrapped for us tableside! Peking shrimp was also delicious. Don't be afraid of the amount garlic...it is so delicious on some rice. And whoever complained about the price of the Jasmine tea in one of the reviews I read is so wrong...it was worth the money...great quality Jasmine tea. Service was prompt and waitstaff was polite and courteous. It was a very enjoyable meal and we will certainly return.
(5)Cassidi J.
I've never had their Chinese food but Sushi was less than average. It was room temperature and was rolled up with way too much rice. The service and atmosphere was mediocre as well. Not worth the money.
(1)Laura S.
I was excited to try Margaret Kuo's. Perhaps it was the fact that it was lunchtime. The food was merely pedestrian. Hot and Sour Soup had little zip. Nothing tangy. It wasn't bad, but nothing to be excited about. Ta Chien Chicken for my entree......so very salty it was barely palatable. The highlight was the jasmine tea. But before we get too excited --they charge $6.00 for jasmine tea. The service was fine. No complaints there. Would I go back? No. With all of the wonderful restaurants in the area, no need to return.
(2)Walt B.
Menu offers a wide variety of dishes and tastes. I have eaten all over China and am fussy about my Chinese food, but every one of the six dishes we ordered was nothing short of excellent.
(5)Laurence B.
Consistently good Chinese food. If you like sauce ask for extra as they run light. Good size portions. Restaurant is nice and clean when dining in. I like the nuts and gurkins! When I want Chinese this is my default.
(4)Harry S.
We always go to Peking at the Granite Run Mall because of the convenience. All the food, and especially the sushi, is always outstanding and the service is excellent. Roy, the Manager, runs a great restaurant and always greets us when we come in. Strongly recommend this restaurant. We've been going for 25 years.
(5)Julia T.
I went to Swarthmore College and this is my absolute favorite restaurant in the area. The spicy tuna roll is amazing and the peanuts and cucumbers they give to you as a meal starter are my favorite. Their chinese dishes are also awesome and I would occasionally get the general tso's chicken. Their egg rolls were always piping hot and delicious. It is a great place for a quiet dinner and I can't wait to go back!
(4)Patty V.
My son & I came here for lunch today 4/8/14. The food & service was extraordinary. Our server was wonderful, he was very attentive & professional. We both started off with egg rolls which were very tasty. We had a choice of soup which came with our lunch specials, the hot & sour soup was excellent. I had Kung Pao chicken & my son had General Tsaos chicken, and Roast pork fried rice all dishes were remarkable. Our experiences at Margaret Kuo Signature Restaurants have been nothing but amazing :) my son who is a Chef was honored to meet Madam Kuo herself a few months ago, she's a wonderful woman. When you come to any Margaret Kuo Signature Restaurant, The food spectacular & service is commendable and everything from Appetizers, Soups, & Entrees are outstanding, You will not be disappointed. Highly Recommended!
(5)Caroline S.
This review is solely for Margaret Kuo's MEDIA location. I say this first because I have only heard great things about their Wayne and Malvern spots however MK Media just doesn't equal up. I came with a rather large party (12 heads) and our reservations were made about a week in advance via OpenTable yet there was 1 server for our large party... In fact, he seemed to be the only server there (Friday night). Our drink orders weren't taken for about an hour into our visit. Then it was a continuous struggle trying to get his attention to place appetizer and entree orders (A few in our party actually left because they hadn't anticipated spending 5 hours out for dinner). When the waiter was taking my order, I repeated myself a few times because he seemed to be drifting off into outer space and he also was not writing anything down. So I was not entirely shocked that when meals were served there were a few entrees missing. However when we asked the waiter about this I was shocked by his careless reply, "you didn't order that"... Um okay. Not even a "I'm sorry" or "Can I put that in now for you?".. Very awkward. Also what is actually served is kind of laughable. Two in our party ordered the Chilean sea bass, one's fish was literally twice the size of the others... The only difference? The sauces they chose. I wasn't impressed by the majority of the menu and it is definitely overpriced for what you are getting. Skip the dessert menu. Everything that is worth ordering they no longer have and the rest is awful. ... Just do your wallet a favor and skip Margaret Kuo's Media entirely.
(2)Julie J.
Maybe this was an isolated incident because I am seeing lots of positive reviews but I had a bad experience today for lunch. To keep it simple, the sushi was not good at all. Inedible in my opinion. I ordered a spicy tuna and a tuna avocado roll. Both rolls were small, poorly assembled and tasted fishy in a less than fresh way. I politely told the waiter I couldn't eat the rolls because they didn't taste right and he was very nice about it and I was charged only for the $4 salad that I ordered. The staff seemed friendly, perhaps the non-sushi menu items are good but I don't think I'll return to find out with so many other options for good restaurants in the area.
(1)Roger S.
Pretty average Chinese food, the meat dishes lacked many vegetables, so it was mostly meat and rice. My quarrel was the price - turns out there is no lunch menu on the weekend, so somehow we ended up spending $150 for lunch for a party of 4, with only 3 beers between us, including 15% tip!
(3)Chris M.
I ordered the Pear Sakatani and it was a bit too "harsh". Maybe they could use better liquor? I had two rolls and both were good
(4)texas w.
its solid, but it's not a go to spot...a bit pricy for what it is. drink menu is on point. Japanese offerings are very well done; imaginative and fresh on the sushi side, solid on the cooked side. Chinese food is way over priced, but tasty. ive never been disappointed, here. service tends to be pretty fast for the volume they do and they do a booming biz (lots of take out) the tv's in the dining room are distracting, but that's my fault for looking.
(3)Glynnis O.
Went here on a frigid November evening, and with plenty of room in the warm back of the restaurant, were promptly seated next to the front door. This place has a ton of take out customers, so every time a person opened the door, we got an icy breeze to wake us up in between sips of water. The service was as average as non native speakers go, interjected by hilarious musings by a staff member behind the bar nursing a Midori colored drink, but unfortunately our stoic waiter didn't see the humor. I got the beef skewers as an appetizer, which were excellent, and I carried this excitement over to the main course. Unfortunately, it was mediocre at best. I ordered the hot pepper chicken, while my husband got pork katsu. The chicken tasted old and was covered in almost pure corn syrup with a few crushed red pepper flakes for show that had lost all flavor. The pork katsu had a weird taste to it, like it had been freezer burnt, and the breading was very strange and unappetizing as well. According to my husband, this place used to be great, but it seems they have abandoned the great food but kept the high prices (about 60 dollars without alcohol). There was a constant heavy stream of customers picking up to-go orders, so it wasn't just a kitchen trying to clear out whatever they didn't sell that weekend, so I assume the quality is consistent. I know I certainly can't afford coming back to risk challenging that assumption.
(3)Rita C.
So after driving by Margaret's Kuo's for the last 5 years or so, I finally got the chance to check it out one rainy night in Media....and then I was back two weeks later for Dining Under the Stars. That being said, I really, really like the food and atmosphere at here, but like many have mentioned, the service absolutely ruins it. The first time, my boyfriend and I were seated in the back of the restaurant, which is super dark. It was nice to see the sushi chefs doing their thing, though, so I really shouldn't complain that much. For drinks, we had the lychee and mango martinis. Both were absolutely delicious! Mixed well with just enough of the good stuff. Then we waited...and waited..and waited to place our dinner orders. We ended up getting the wasabi shumai for an appetizer and jumbo spider, fancy dragon, tiger, and natuto cucumber rolls to split. After we ordered, I asked the waiter if there was anything we ordered with nuts in it since my boyfriend is allergic - he just stared at me. So, I asked again. He said no and walked away. Odd. Anyway, we got our food and were really happy with everything that came out. The shumai was flavorful, but not overpowering; the sushi was super fresh and expertly prepared. We really enjoyed our meal! And then we waited a good twenty minutes before ever seeing another waiter to ask for our check. I really, really don't understand this! The second time around, I decided to try out the Mandarin Lamb. Think mooshu but with delicious, sweet lamb. It's my new favorite! I would definitely get this again, but would possibly skip the pancakes and instead eat the lamb with rice. In closing - I really wanted to love Margaret Kuo's because of the food (since that's why we're all going there, right?), but the experience was killed by the waitstaff both times I was there. This wouldn't be my first choice of restaurant if I was going out in Media, but I would probably go here again.
(3)Arthur K.
best sushi sashimi japanese chinese anywhere in the pa suburbs. only yang ming can compare, but they are chinese only. full bar and superb service.
(5)Adi R.
Every time we come here, we are very satisfied and pleased. It is like a nice fusion of Japanese, Chinese and all in between. The food is great and the sauce for dishes such as General Tsao's Chicken and Tangerine Three Delicacies is simply perfect. Many flavors over layed onto each other give it a great taste. Sushi bar is awesome especially since this place is not a dedicated sushi bar. This place is definitely one of the top chinese places I have been to. More great experiences to come.
(5)Vivian H.
They have a huge menu of Chinese, Japanese, and kind of American food (mm sea bass!) I tried the tonkatsu and chicken/veggie moo shu. Both were huge portions, like it would feed 1.5 people comfortably. The tonkatsu was kind of dry, and the moo shu was too salty I thought. Maybe I should have tried the sushi or some other seafood. The service is good, and the place is really fancy, but the food doesn't really back that up. I don't really think it's worth the price tag.
(2)Angela B.
Mediocre, and the food was cold. I expect a lot more from a $70 meal for just two people. We got the PE King duck which the waiter insisted was a whole duck that we would be best splitting - no way. It was shavings of a duck - with no flavor. The dessert we ordered was frozen - literally frozen and not edible. Our waiter was mediocre and had no idea what he was doing. Truly awful! I don't see the fuss on this place.
(1)jed p.
Take out, Chinese only, I enjoyed the general Tsoa's chicken, and some drunken noodles, and this tasty walnut shrimp, this killer duck, and perhaps there was also some rice. I was pretty happy.
(4)JB B.
Got take out on Saturday night. Not your average Asian restaurant. The Tangerine Three Delicacies we tremendous and when they say "spicy" they know what "spicy": means. The scallops and shrimp were better than you find in most Asian takeout, the chicken, unfortunately is knotted fried scraps. Only negative. In fact next time I order it, I'll order it without the chicken.
(4)Jen N.
My husband and I ate here after recommendations from everyone we've met. We spent a year in China and have high expectations of Chinese food: Margaret Kuo's didn't disappoint! The dumplings were fresh, and steamed in a traditional bamboo steamer. The egg rolls were hot and crispy. They had plenty of Asian variety to make it easy to find something you want. The sushi looked delicious. They get full up very quickly, so make a reservation! You can also order take out, which we'll be doing! Definitely going back!
(5)Andrea H.
I have been coming here for over 10 years and it continues to be best Chinese food I have ever had. They have a great Japanese menu too and the sushi is fantastic. Service is always great and food is wonderful!
(5)Sara L.
When this place originally opened in the 90's, it was wonderful. I've been going here for years. But recently, within the last year or two, I'd say, I've had nothing but bad experiences. The first time I chalked it up to a language barrier. My husband is vegan, so when he ordered, he asked if the item was vegan since it gave no explanation of what was in the dish. They said, oh yes, it was vegan. It came out with eggs. He didn't eat it, and they wouldn't take it off the bill. The second time, it was Dining Under the Stars (a weekly summer event in Media) and my parents and I were looking for a place to eat. There were at least 12 tables set up outside, 4 tables of 6 and 8 tables to 2. Since there were three of us, we selected a table of 6 (no one was around to seat us and it was outdoors.) The owner came right up after we sat and said, "you have to be out of here by 7pm. Lots of reservations". I said, "well it's 5pm, and no one sat, so if we're done, we're done, and if not, too bad." Now i realize that this wasn't the most friendly response, but I was quite bristly from this exchange. And then, to top it off, the service was unbearably slow. If you want me out fast, I expect fast service. Furthermore, the couple behind us also had the same experience, even at a table for 2 people. They were told the could bring their own wine if they drank it outside, but upon being sat outside, they were then told, #1, they too had to be out by 7pm, #2 no BYO. Very annoying. For the prices, you'd think they'd splurge for a "Reserved" sign.
(1)Marissa S.
Went here for lunch with some friends... The sushi was alright and pricey. I've had better. I could not understand my waiter (native-speaking.) The ambience and decor is very nice.
(3)Jen L.
This place tries to offer a more upscale Chinese food option instead of being another take out place, but frankly that just doesn't do much for me, as it just comes across as overpriced and stuffy. They do have a few item on the menu that are a little off the beaten track and a little more authentic, such as the leek pancake appetizer. Not sure if it's always on the menu as it was over a year ago on Valentine's Day when I had them, but they were exactly as my family makes them back in China and I got a little excited. Overall, though, I am more likely to get take out from Jing Fong, stay in and watch movies while eating my Chinese food. I know my preferences are probably not typical here, since when I go out to eat I prefer to get things I can't make easily myself, or it better be much better and cheaper than I can make it myself. For a more upscale and authentic dine-in experience in the suburbs, I highly recommend Han Dynasty instead.
(3)Jonathan G.
I went with my family last night to celebrate a big occasion and was pretty disappointed. I will start off by saying that the food and ambience are both really good however the service was atrocious! It was clear from the start that the waiter had no idea what he was doing. We ordered a large bottle of Sake for the table and he was extremely confused. He must have asked me 3 times if this was right when presenting the bottle as if we had to have made a mistake. He didn't even know to bring a wine bucket with cold sake. This guy had no idea about service. My father ordered a filet and he had no idea that the needed to ask what temperature. I can be somewhat forgiving if you are new but at the very least be attentive which he was definitely not. Right after he took our order he disappeared for the rest of the night and what seemed to be the food runner sort of took over. Never checked back, never asked if anyone needed any refills etc... And to add insult to injury, all of the food came out room temp! I get it if maybe one plate isn't hot but the entire table!!! What can I say Margaret. When spending over $40 per person I expect a little more!
(2)David L.
Just love the place. Sushi is absolutely solid and staff is professional. Never had a bad experience. Try the take out too. Good choice for Media's "Dining Under the Stars" in the summer.
(4)Louis B.
Excellent dining venue in the middle of quaint Media PA downtown. The trolley whizzes by and it creates a wonderful scene in this little old town. My only wish is that they had outdoor seating like most of the other restaurants around them. But that would be icing on the cake. We went in and were seated immediately. Then we had a wonderful dinner. Tempura and Seafood and Vegetables, way plenty for two. Quality, ambiance and service were superior. As usual.
(4)Jaime J.
The first time I went to Margaret Kuo's, it was on the recommendation of a friend. At the time, I didn't eat sushi - my oversight! The menu is diverse - with both Chinese and Japanese offerings. I love MK's because it's not your typical Chinese take-out place. It's elegant and cozy. Dimly lit with gauze-y panels separating the table areas, this Chinese restaurant can actually be romantic. My most recent trip to MK's, we ordered a Dragon Roll and a Green Lady Roll. Fantastic! The spicy salmon and avocado in the dragon roll is a perfect combination of spicy, cool, and creamy. The green lady roll is topped with mint leaves and slivers of lime - very refreshing. I also had the miso soup and tempura vegetables. Beautiful presentation and friendly staff.
(4)John K.
Stopped in for a quart of take-out wonton soup at about 5PM. A waiter took my order and I left for ten minutes. When I returned there was no soup. The hostess took the order again and I paid her. She brought me a bag with a soup container in it. As I walked up the street to my car she came after me saying I had the wrong soup. She gave me another bag with a different container. All incidental and forgivable but the soup was awful, full of mushy wontons with no flavor.
(2)Vivian R.
All right, all right - I have to admit, I'm completely biased on this restaurant. I have to head off my review with a big assterick (sic). Margaret Kuo and her husband, Warren, happen to be family friends of my father's, and we do make a stop in to see them and to have a meal here each time we're up to visit in Philly. But I have to admit - I'm visiting from Washington DC, where our Chinatown is virtually nonexistant, extending really all of 1 block. And it's not even a big block at that. It's more like a strip - and I've seen bigger strips at Camelot's back in the day. But I digress. This restaurant, and its sister restaurant Margaret Kuo's Signature in Wayne on Lancaster Avenue, are far from your typical Chinese take-out. Breathe the word take-out around these joints, and I swear, I may just take you out. Permanently. But again, I digress. They do, however, get a lot of walk-ins, particularly at their Signature restaurant in Wayne, with people snot-nosing the restaurant and demanding a table at 8 on a Saturday night without a reservation. It's high-Chinese flavor that's being served here, not a Chinese take-out joint serving Villanova or St. Joe's along Lancaster Ave. High Chinese food exists in the burbs thanks to the Kuo's dedication to providing genuine food, with unique touches, fabulous twists, and modern combinations of flavors that showcase the growth of Chinese food smoothly into the 21st century with a gentle nod to its long legacy from half way around the planet. The food they serve is closer to what I have as genuine home-made Chinese food. Real Chinese food doesn't slop on all that sauce on every single dish, though the sauce does come into play in more formal presentations of foods. Real Chinese food is similar to any other true cultural food - it celebrates the freshness and uniqueness of its ingredients. There are specials offered depending on season, though their menu has a wide assortment of their kitchen's signature dishes. Their sushi is simply amazing, with fish that is smooth as butter. My favorite dishes - they serve up amazing dim-sum (go for the little pork buns), soups (hot and sour, I swear by it, and it's my litmus test for any Chinese restaurant I hit, and I'll hold off having any hot and sour soup here in DC just until I head back to Margaret's kitchen), any of their tofu dishes, fish dishes - oh hell, I can't think of one dish I've had there that has been wrong in any way. The portions, however, are made for family-style dining, and be prepared to take some home if you intend to order 1 full dish for yourself. It tastes even better the next day, warmed up even in the microwave, I promise. And they have brown rice as an option to standard white rice. On the Baby front, granted, I do get the special treatment when I'm there simply because we're all family, but Hubby, Dad, and I brought little Baby there, and she felt right at home. We shared in the dim sum, some hot and sour seafood soup, rice, and tofu with tomatoes - and this may be one of the few times that she's shown she's actually full. Granted, I lose out on half my meal to her, but so long as Baby's happy, it's all I can hope for. They have high chairs, and they have small espresso spoons (metal) that I used when we forgot Baby's spoon. We do try our best to keep our table and area clean, as Baby can make quite a mess (you should see our dining table at home). Baby-friendly, and as for the Media joint, I am so happy to see that Margaret Kuo deemed my little free-trade hometown worthy to receive the bounty of their kitchen. Lunch on weekends works well, and Saturday nights are definitely busy (check out opentable.com for reservations), and weeknights may find business meeting events happening at their restaurants. Go, visit, and enjoy. I promise you, you wont' be disappointed.
(5)Robbi R.
I recently took my adult daughter out for her Birthday dinner at Margaret Kuos in Media. We were seated in the back at a row of very close tables, low and behold they seated a family right smack next to us (even though there were other tables) with 2 screaming toddlers, that persisted in yelling throughout our meal. We were unable to talk or enjoy our dinner! I did complain to management, but at that point it was too late, our meal and evening out were already ruined! I guess the food was good, but we had to eat so quickly, I'm not quite sure. I think it was very ignorant to put screaming toddlers about 6 inches away from adult diners, when there were plenty of other seats! It shows me that management here is not at all concerned with the comfort of their guests.
(1)Cax D.
Popped in here for dinner/Dining Under The Stars. I had the Kung Pao chicken, my husband had the General Tso's. Both tasted great, albeit spicy (as they should be)! The service was pretty sub-par; our waiter took forever to refill our waters, which we certainly noticed because we were dying of thirst after eating the spicy food. Also took way too long to get our check. However, this is probably normal for Dining Under the Stars so we gave them a pass. Would definitely eat here again, probably for takeout.
(4)Karen F.
Had a wonderful lunch for 4 adults plus my 9 year old. Excellent lunch specials (Chinese) and sushi, especially the "Flamingo Roll" ($15 - ouch) with Mango, Avocado & Salmon over a shrimp tempura roll. Wild salmon Nigiri ($3.50 for one piece) was heavenly. Hamachi nigiri ($3.00) was very good also. Great lunchtime service and bill was around $80.00 (no alcohol, no dessert ordered).
(4)Thomas G.
Their menu could use an update but overall the food here is really good. However, Bre P is right: this place used to be a lot better. They used to seat you quick, give you a hot towel to freshen up, and have your drinks to you in no time. Now, even after making a reservation we still had to wait a total time of almost an hour before we were eating. I realize of course that the restaurant gets busy, but there also seems to be a general lack of organization which slows things down. Also, most of the servers are not very friendly, which wouldn't bother me if they were more attentive. Then again, the sushi bar is always open and they do takeout. Overall, we will go back, but we aren't expecting to be blown away.
(3)K G.
This place is great! It's in a cute area, and the sushi is fresh and delicious -you'd think you were downtown. It was pricy but we were satisfied with our meal. It was nice to go to a restaurant with a fresh variety of fish. In the area, all we've ever found is moderately priced Japanese Hibachi restaurants specializing in imitation crabmeat sushi. I'm so glad we went to Margaret Kuo's where I was able to get the fresh sashimi I love! If you're not downtown, know good sushi, and can afford the pricey meal...come here. The decor and atmosphere is cute and trendy also.
(4)Chelsea P.
Adorable, intimate, and just plain yummy sushi! For the atmosphere I was expecting higher prices but it was not bad at all!
(4)Felicia D.
The sushi here at Margaret Kuo's in little old Media is far better than any in Philadelphia at a similar price point. Very fresh fish, with judicious use of spicy sauce and other condiments. Waiter service varies from wandering clueless to prompt and smiling. The miso soup here is outstanding, with a delicate fermented flavor and tender cubes of tofu. My constant dinner is miso, seaweed salad, spicy tuna maki, salmon avocado maki and a Green Lady roll- various white fishes wrapped in thin slices of lime. Margaret Kuo has several restaurants- this is my favorite, with a close second being Peking, in the Granite Run Mall. It's not cheap but it's totally worth it.
(4)Ayo K.
LOVE LOVE LOVE MARGARET KUO'S! Try the Rock Shrimp and the Dragon Roll. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE this place.
(5)Dan C.
I came here with two friends to celebrate the end of midterms. We all ordered sushi platters, which came with generously sliced pieces of sashimi. The sushi wasn't as good considering what we paid, but the decor was excellent. We were seated on the Japanese side which had tasteful guaze and mahogany wood separating tables, and I liked the four calligraphies of the seasons. One of the owners, however, began yelling in hushed tones to the sushi chef in Chinese about he was giving portions that were too large! One of us knew Chinese and translated for the rest of the table, and I have to say that this minor spectacle detracted (and added to) our dining experience. Funny, but really now?
(3)Andrew E.
Good sushi and Chinese food. A bit expensive but worth it.
(4)Blake F.
when my coworkers & i have a hankering for good chinese food AND sushi, we forgo the slightly cheaper/chinese-only delivery place, and call in a take-out order to margaret kuo's. it's worth it. even better is when i have the opportunity to dine inside the restaurant which was renovated a few years ago - one side featuring an elegantly simple chinese decor, the other a slightly more traditional japanese feel, complete with the sushi bar and a private party room with floor seating. but make no mistake, it doesn't matter where you sit, you can order food from both menus! as a vegetarian, i really enjoy asian cuisine as it offers a variety of options, many of which are centered around tofu (yay protein!)...yet when i go to MK i find myself guilty of one of my typical dining no-no's: i ALWAYS get the same thing - it's just THAT good! and that would be the tofu homestyle (which i request to be served with brown rice i/o white). tender chunks of tofu along with mushrooms & bamboo shoots in what is quite possibly the best (and spiciest!) garlic sauce i have ever tasted. yum! i don't get more than an avocado or oshinko roll when it comes to sushi...but those, as well as the miso soup & seaweed salad, have all been excellent. and my fish-eating dining companions have only ever had good things to say about their selections. oh, and instead of the typical crunchy chinese noodles with duck sauce to munch on while you peruse the menu, MK provides 2 nibbling plates: roasted peanuts and pickled cucumbers, both of which are deliciously addictive. but be forewarned, they will not bring out additional plates once your food arrives, even when you ask. i suppose if you offer to pay extra...? i was a bit miffed at first, but in all honesty, i'm glad to have not been allowed to over indulge on snacks before my meal!
(5)Vincent P.
This is about my third visit here and we have had a pleasant experience each time. It was a little tough figuring out the vegetarian options for me so I went with old faithful "vegetable tempura" and an appetizer dish that was basically deep fried tofu. My wife had the veggie spring roll and the daring (LOL) vegetable fried rice. All selections were good except my fried tofu. If was very oily and fell apart when trying to eat it. Really just a minor quibble. One other thing the miso soup to me is a step down from other good Japanese restaurants that I have tried. Not bad mind you, just not as good. One last thing. Is Sapporo beer getting less disgusting than is used to be or was I really that thirsty? It was good in a bland sort of way. Kind of like getting the Yuengling because the bar doesn't have Yards. All in all a good place to stop in for a bite.
(3)caitlin p.
Tangerine chicken is amazing-light flavor and easily the most popular dish we ordered. The rest of the chinese menu came out very flavorful, just wish we had room for other stuff! We saw other tables getting a huge boatful (literally, a dragon boat) of sushi, it looked like a ton. Watch out!
(5)Karen T.
Nice Chinese/Japanese restaurant in a cute area. My dining companion and I ordered the same thing: Tempura Udon. They were very gracious about omitting MSG at my request. It took a little longer than I expected for the food to come out but all was forgiven when it did. The serving was huge! Felt like I was in Texas again. A plate of nicely prepared tempura (sweet potato, broccoli, onion, shrimp, eggplant), tempura dipping sauce, and a giant bowl of udon with veggies, sliced mushrooms and tasty both. Very tasty and it justified the $15 price tag.
(4)Shawn S.
By far the best sushi in Philly. I have eaten here numerous times and the fish is the highest quality and the wine selection is amazing. The prices are reasonable ad well.
(5)Eran M.
(vegan / vegetarian) Margaret Kuo used to be one of our favorite places to go. We enjoy their veggie sushi rolls, as well as their tofu kung pao (which is not listed in the menu, but is very delicious). The waiters are generally friendly. Unfortunately, they seem to be slipping. In the past few months, service has been getting worse - while still friendly, they are now very slow. Examples from our last visit: After being seated, it took about 10 minutes for a waiter to come by and offer us water. After we ordered (salad, sushi, tofu kung pao), the salad took another 20 minutes to come out. The sushi eventually arrived, but no tofu kung pao - perhaps the waiter thought the sushi was an appetizer? But the waiter never asked, and we ended up finishing the sushi, canceling the tofu, and heading out. I hope Margaret Kuo's in Media gets back on its game. We used to enjoy the place, and it's unfortunate that we've had repeatedly bad (and worsening) experiences there over the past few months, mainly due to slowing service.
(2)Tim B.
3 1/2 stars, really. Look, you will not get anything bad here. It's all nicely done. It's way better than the average generic suburban Chinese. But it is generic suburban Chinese & Japanese, really, just well-executed and consistent. This is when the word "solid" is both a compliment and a criticism. You are not ever going to get anything here where you say, "Holy cow, they do that better than anybody else" or "I've never really had that dish made in that way, that was interesting or really delicious". But you are not going to get something and say, "That was crap, what were they thinking", either. This is one of those reliable joints that you're glad to have around, even if you also wistfully remember the really awesome Chinese or Japanese food you had somewhere else. Good for takeout too.
(3)Vivian R.
All right, all right - I have to admit, I'm completely biased on this restaurant. I have to head off my review with a big assterick (sic). Margaret Kuo and her husband, Warren, happen to be family friends of my father's, and we do make a stop in to see them and to have a meal here each time we're up to visit in Philly. But I have to admit - I'm visiting from Washington DC, where our Chinatown is virtually nonexistant, extending really all of 1 block. And it's not even a big block at that. It's more like a strip - and I've seen bigger strips at Camelot's back in the day. But I digress. This restaurant, and its sister restaurant Margaret Kuo's Signature in Wayne on Lancaster Avenue, are far from your typical Chinese take-out. Breathe the word take-out around these joints, and I swear, I may just take you out. Permanently. But again, I digress. They do, however, get a lot of walk-ins, particularly at their Signature restaurant in Wayne, with people snot-nosing the restaurant and demanding a table at 8 on a Saturday night without a reservation. It's high-Chinese flavor that's being served here, not a Chinese take-out joint serving Villanova or St. Joe's along Lancaster Ave. High Chinese food exists in the burbs thanks to the Kuo's dedication to providing genuine food, with unique touches, fabulous twists, and modern combinations of flavors that showcase the growth of Chinese food smoothly into the 21st century with a gentle nod to its long legacy from half way around the planet. The food they serve is closer to what I have as genuine home-made Chinese food. Real Chinese food doesn't slop on all that sauce on every single dish, though the sauce does come into play in more formal presentations of foods. Real Chinese food is similar to any other true cultural food - it celebrates the freshness and uniqueness of its ingredients. There are specials offered depending on season, though their menu has a wide assortment of their kitchen's signature dishes. Their sushi is simply amazing, with fish that is smooth as butter. My favorite dishes - they serve up amazing dim-sum (go for the little pork buns), soups (hot and sour, I swear by it, and it's my litmus test for any Chinese restaurant I hit, and I'll hold off having any hot and sour soup here in DC just until I head back to Margaret's kitchen), any of their tofu dishes, fish dishes - oh hell, I can't think of one dish I've had there that has been wrong in any way. The portions, however, are made for family-style dining, and be prepared to take some home if you intend to order 1 full dish for yourself. It tastes even better the next day, warmed up even in the microwave, I promise. And they have brown rice as an option to standard white rice. On the Baby front, granted, I do get the special treatment when I'm there simply because we're all family, but Hubby, Dad, and I brought little Baby there, and she felt right at home. We shared in the dim sum, some hot and sour seafood soup, rice, and tofu with tomatoes - and this may be one of the few times that she's shown she's actually full. Granted, I lose out on half my meal to her, but so long as Baby's happy, it's all I can hope for. They have high chairs, and they have small espresso spoons (metal) that I used when we forgot Baby's spoon. We do try our best to keep our table and area clean, as Baby can make quite a mess (you should see our dining table at home). Baby-friendly, and as for the Media joint, I am so happy to see that Margaret Kuo deemed my little free-trade hometown worthy to receive the bounty of their kitchen. Lunch on weekends works well, and Saturday nights are definitely busy (check out opentable.com for reservations), and weeknights may find business meeting events happening at their restaurants. Go, visit, and enjoy. I promise you, you wont' be disappointed.
(5)John B.
The food was OK, The service was horrible. When we entered, I went to wash my hands. When I returned to my table the waitress asked me with a heavy accent what I wanted to have for dinner. I hadn't even opened my menu yet. Then she disappeared for 25 minutes. We finally ordered and within 15 minutes, everything was on the table; salad, appetizers, main course, EVERYTHING! We never saw the waitress at our table again. When we were ready to go we could not get her attention. Finally I gave my card to another waiter. A guy came back and said my card would not work. I called my visa card company to see if there was a security hold on my card. Meanwhile the guy from the restaurant hovered over me until I asked him to leave while I sorted out the problem. The visa company rep said all was fine. The restaurant refused to try my card again. I paid with a different card and went down the street to a brew house to buy a dessert. I used the card that was rejected at Kuo's without incident. I returned to Kuo's with the receipt and the dessert to show them that the problem was theirs. They told me that their machine can be quirky, but was not broken. I informed them that if the machine fails to do the job it was intended for, than it was indeed broken. Then they retreated to the kitchen and ignored me. I told them I was not happy and left. I got the distinct impression that there was nothing wrong with the machine and that they were trying to get me to pay cash. We will never return.
(1)T C.
This is the best Chinese/Japanese food around. I am very picky when it comes to Chinese and I trust this place completely! You don't even feel terrible an hour after eating and wish it hadn't smelled so good that you devoured the entire meal! It's totally worth it! The sushi is outstanding and the rolls are colossal(in a good way). And the best thing is, eating at the restaurant you forget that you are in Media and feel like you could actually be eating in the city!!! And that is huge for a pregnant mother who doesn't get out too often these days.
(5)Jillian P.
My Favorite sushi Place!!! Clean,Great food Good service!
(5)John K.
Stopped in for a quart of take-out wonton soup at about 5PM. A waiter took my order and I left for ten minutes. When I returned there was no soup. The hostess took the order again and I paid her. She brought me a bag with a soup container in it. As I walked up the street to my car she came after me saying I had the wrong soup. She gave me another bag with a different container. All incidental and forgivable but the soup was awful, full of mushy wontons with no flavor.
(2)German S.
Time for some delicious sushi.
(4)Superfly T.
First the positives; Media is a beautiful town with a nice main street, easy parking and Margaret Kuo's is located right in the heart of town. Next the interior is clean, comfortable, quiet and intimate. I found the wait staff to be a little slow, and forgetful. We sat at the Sushi bar and had sushi started with a beer and some Miso , the Miso was barely luke warm, not a good start. Since I was at the Sushi bar, I had a chance to observe; when someone's rolling and handling raw seafood greatest care should be taken on what else they touch - we all know this, however I saw this rule being violated over and over again. No they weren't touching their face or body parts, but they did come into contact with non-sterile areas repeatedly. Finally, the guy that they were training behind the bar had zero experience and rolled and cut sushi like I do (not very good). The soft shell crab roll was very very good, and tasted simply fantastic, and the head sushi chef definitely knew what he was doing (junior did not build that roll). To sum it up, I would go back and try the Chinese cooked food, just to try. As for the Sushi, it's Chinese restaurant sushi, fair to midland in quality but does not stack up to the real thing.
(3)Stefanie G.
The next time you are considering Chinese take-out, consider Margaret Kuo in Media. You get their superior food for the same prices as the lower quality places in the area. We were so surprised! We shared vegetarian hot and sour soup- great variety of veggies, but the flavor was little unbalanced. I actually added some rice wine vinegar for more sour. The egg rolls were delightful- light and crispy, not a trace of oil in the taste or on our hands! We had the Chinese eggplant with garlic sauce and sweet and sour chicken for entrees. Both were very flavorful and offered generous portion for left overs. Margaret Kuo is now our go-to place for awesome Chinese take-out!
(4)Jaime J.
The first time I went to Margaret Kuo's, it was on the recommendation of a friend. At the time, I didn't eat sushi - my oversight! The menu is diverse - with both Chinese and Japanese offerings. I love MK's because it's not your typical Chinese take-out place. It's elegant and cozy. Dimly lit with gauze-y panels separating the table areas, this Chinese restaurant can actually be romantic. My most recent trip to MK's, we ordered a Dragon Roll and a Green Lady Roll. Fantastic! The spicy salmon and avocado in the dragon roll is a perfect combination of spicy, cool, and creamy. The green lady roll is topped with mint leaves and slivers of lime - very refreshing. I also had the miso soup and tempura vegetables. Beautiful presentation and friendly staff.
(4)Mrinteresting W.
You can say what you want about Sushi joints, but don't say anything bad about Margaret Kuo's. The freshness of their sushi is outstanding, having spent time in rural Japan, where they catch the fish and eat it that very day, Kuo's is as authentic as you're going to get to the real thing. It's the ONLY place in the Greater Philadelphia area my wife and I will eat sashimi and sushi and be 100% satisfied every time we go. Always make a reservation, even if you think it's a slow day of the week. Kid friendly, with a complete Chinese as well as Japanese menu, something for everybody.
(5)sara l.
HIGH QUALITY chinese, expecially for outside of the city. awesome sushi... awesome EVERYTHING!!!!
(4)Sam W.
My stomach still hurts. I ate last night at 5:30pm. It is 11:30am the next day and I can't get the unfresh fish flavor out of my mouth. First off I love sushi! I am lucky enough to have been to some of the finest sushi bars in Los Angeles, Las Vegas and NYC. Having been craving sushi for 3 weeks or so and finally going out for it, I decide to try this place. Immediatly I was suprised there were no Daily Specials other than Rolls. No Traditional sashi dishes or small batch fish they decided to order because it happens to be in season like most places. The options were pretty basic and very little effort/passion/creativity was put into the menu. So I order sushi; salmon, toro, ahi, king crab, spanish mackerel, squid and tai fish. It comes out and I dig in. Finished a piece or 2 and something tasted kind of off. Then i went for the Toro, immediately I know. It was stinky, oddly firm and still frozen in the center!!!! I asked and at least they admitted it was frozen, but then they tried to play if off like it was perfectly ok. Then they started stuttering about the cost of fresh fish and they have to freeze it yada yada yada. If you buy too much, buy less next time. Do not freeze it beyond its freshness date and serve it. They have obviously lost their passion for quality as well as their respect for their customers. I'm new to this area and I love sushi so this better not be a trend around here.
(1)Lenny C.
In a very short time this has become a landmark Media restaurant, even though it is now a small chain. The food was above average and the provincial pork shoulder was sublime! And my wife loved the Shiitake Mushroom Soup while I inhaled the Steamed Buns and the Beef Dumplings - both steamed, not fried.
(3)Penny M.
Our college road trip continues....We came across this gem of a restaurant last night in Media, PA. We enjoyed impeccably fresh sushi, delicious (and beautifully presented) entrees (pork shoulder, noodles & a scrumptious spicy seafood dish). Service was friendly, efficient - just right. The wine list was extensive and we thoroughly enjoyed an Australian Cab. The green tea ice cream was a perfect finish!
(5)Ashley T.
Every time I go here, the vegetarian tofu dishes are inconsistent. Most recently, the tofu szechuan I ordered had a... graininess?? to it. Like there was sand in it... You can do excellent, authentic Chinese food without meat, but I haven't been impressed here.
(2)Mary T.
Not impressed at all...in my opinion over priced Asian food. It's a nice place for a night out. Inside is very nicely decorated and the service is actually good. I guess it makes up for the food. But then I had the best Chinese food at hole-in-the-wall places with terrible decor and service.
(2)Ann R.
I live in the city and I've been generally unimpressed with a lot of food in the suburbs, but I was very pleased with my recent visit to Margaret Kuo's in Media. My husband and I ordered off of the Chinese side of the menu and we were very happy with the food. We had a large party that included a small baby (on a Friday night), and had no problems at all. The waitstaff was friendly and we felt welcome in the restaurant. One warning: "spicy" on the menu seems to mean different things depending on the dish. My "spicy" tangerine entree was barely spicy at all, and the "spicy" mushroom hot-and-sour soup was among the hottest hot-and-sour soups I've ever had. They were both delicious, but if you have a low (or high) tolerance for hotness, you might want to double-check with the waiter before you order a particular dish.
(4)Tom G.
When I used to live in Swarthmore I frequented MK often. Really solid Chinese and Japanese food. Sushi isn't great but it's more than passable and it's pretty cheap when compared to the more pricey places in Philly at a similar level of quality. My favorite dish is the peking duck, served table side. Miso soup is good as are the bento box dinners. They even do the "standard" chinese dishes like Sesame Chicken extremely well. I normally say that MK is like a much better version of PF Chang's. The State Street and Granite Run locations are both excellent, although I prefer the State Street for both food and decor.
(4)Cassidi J.
I've never had their Chinese food but Sushi was less than average. It was room temperature and was rolled up with way too much rice. The service and atmosphere was mediocre as well. Not worth the money.
(1)Christian B.
Having lived near Media for many years, I for some reason always felt that Margaret Kuo's was more of a higher end Chinese/Japanese place, but after an amazing experience for dinner, with a shockingly great surprise at the end of the meal, I have to say this is a MTM (Must Try in Media) Atmosphere - Classic tones of black and white, along with a fully stocked bar met our party of three as we entered Margaret Kuo's off of state street. Sitting in the front of the restaurant, we were able to enjoy the hustle and bustle of the waitstaff, as well as the multitude of people coming by to pick up takeout orders. We were also greeted with peanuts, pickled cucumber, and warm towels as we sat down to look over the menu. A top notch level of service unmatched by other Asian restaurants in the area. Waitstaff - Our waitress was polite and brought our food over very quickly. With a busy dinner rush, she wasn't much for chatting, but brought our food out quickly and efficiently, and left the perfect amount of time between courses to have food. Water glasses were refilled with consistency and drinks from the bar came out in 2-3 minutes after ordering. Food - Wow, exceptional. Our party started off with shared appetizers for shrimp tempura and steamed edamame. The fresh edamame with sea salt was a perfect healthy snack to go with samples of miso soup said one of our diners. Add in Asian beers for Sapporo and Kirin from the bar, and it was a nice compliment. We had so much for appetizers and picking food, that our entrees were also stellar, but needed portions to be taken home. From the perfectly prepared General Tsao's Chicken, to the diner who went with Dumplings and Pot Stickers, to the sushi freshly made on site, all of our meals were top notch. You could really taste the difference here between those items freshly made vs the ones that were frozen. Intangibles - Full bar also includes wine as well, so this would not be considered a BYOB in my opinion. Price for three diners and the massive amount of food we received was less then $100 before tip which I was shocked and had to double check to make sure everything was on there. Takeout counter was busy the entire time, might have to swing by Media and grab some next time I'm in the mood for takeout. Overall - Margaret Kuo adds to her fantastic reputation here in our area. Food and Service are top notch, location can't be beat (less then a block from the parking garage) and restaurant atmosphere is outstanding. Can't wait to go back and try it again with new friends or family.
(5)Laura S.
I was excited to try Margaret Kuo's. Perhaps it was the fact that it was lunchtime. The food was merely pedestrian. Hot and Sour Soup had little zip. Nothing tangy. It wasn't bad, but nothing to be excited about. Ta Chien Chicken for my entree......so very salty it was barely palatable. The highlight was the jasmine tea. But before we get too excited --they charge $6.00 for jasmine tea. The service was fine. No complaints there. Would I go back? No. With all of the wonderful restaurants in the area, no need to return.
(2)Sierra C.
We recently tried Margaret Kuo's for the first time, and while we both had heard great reviews, we were less than enthused with our dining experience. My boyfriend ordered the Teriyaki Filet Mignon and was caught off guard when a thin beef steak was delivered to the table. Furthermore, the sea bass I ordered lacked flavor and was not memorable in the slightest. The service, however, was very nice, and I hope if we try this in the future to give their sushi a try rather than an entree.
(3)jed p.
Take out, Chinese only, I enjoyed the general Tsoa's chicken, and some drunken noodles, and this tasty walnut shrimp, this killer duck, and perhaps there was also some rice. I was pretty happy.
(4)Chris M.
I ordered the Pear Sakatani and it was a bit too "harsh". Maybe they could use better liquor? I had two rolls and both were good
(4)Julie J.
Maybe this was an isolated incident because I am seeing lots of positive reviews but I had a bad experience today for lunch. To keep it simple, the sushi was not good at all. Inedible in my opinion. I ordered a spicy tuna and a tuna avocado roll. Both rolls were small, poorly assembled and tasted fishy in a less than fresh way. I politely told the waiter I couldn't eat the rolls because they didn't taste right and he was very nice about it and I was charged only for the $4 salad that I ordered. The staff seemed friendly, perhaps the non-sushi menu items are good but I don't think I'll return to find out with so many other options for good restaurants in the area.
(1)Roger S.
Pretty average Chinese food, the meat dishes lacked many vegetables, so it was mostly meat and rice. My quarrel was the price - turns out there is no lunch menu on the weekend, so somehow we ended up spending $150 for lunch for a party of 4, with only 3 beers between us, including 15% tip!
(3)Rachel W.
Have luved this place for years. One of my absolute favs is the house special ta chien chicken. It's spicy and delicious! The owners n staff are also delightful.
(5)Matt B.
Nice decor and great service, but the food portions are tiny when considering the prices. As far as the quality of the food goes, this is probably the best Chinese food in Media.
(4)Caroline S.
This review is solely for Margaret Kuo's MEDIA location. I say this first because I have only heard great things about their Wayne and Malvern spots however MK Media just doesn't equal up. I came with a rather large party (12 heads) and our reservations were made about a week in advance via OpenTable yet there was 1 server for our large party... In fact, he seemed to be the only server there (Friday night). Our drink orders weren't taken for about an hour into our visit. Then it was a continuous struggle trying to get his attention to place appetizer and entree orders (A few in our party actually left because they hadn't anticipated spending 5 hours out for dinner). When the waiter was taking my order, I repeated myself a few times because he seemed to be drifting off into outer space and he also was not writing anything down. So I was not entirely shocked that when meals were served there were a few entrees missing. However when we asked the waiter about this I was shocked by his careless reply, "you didn't order that"... Um okay. Not even a "I'm sorry" or "Can I put that in now for you?".. Very awkward. Also what is actually served is kind of laughable. Two in our party ordered the Chilean sea bass, one's fish was literally twice the size of the others... The only difference? The sauces they chose. I wasn't impressed by the majority of the menu and it is definitely overpriced for what you are getting. Skip the dessert menu. Everything that is worth ordering they no longer have and the rest is awful. ... Just do your wallet a favor and skip Margaret Kuo's Media entirely.
(2)Walt B.
Menu offers a wide variety of dishes and tastes. I have eaten all over China and am fussy about my Chinese food, but every one of the six dishes we ordered was nothing short of excellent.
(5)Laurence B.
Consistently good Chinese food. If you like sauce ask for extra as they run light. Good size portions. Restaurant is nice and clean when dining in. I like the nuts and gurkins! When I want Chinese this is my default.
(4)Harry S.
We always go to Peking at the Granite Run Mall because of the convenience. All the food, and especially the sushi, is always outstanding and the service is excellent. Roy, the Manager, runs a great restaurant and always greets us when we come in. Strongly recommend this restaurant. We've been going for 25 years.
(5)Julia T.
I went to Swarthmore College and this is my absolute favorite restaurant in the area. The spicy tuna roll is amazing and the peanuts and cucumbers they give to you as a meal starter are my favorite. Their chinese dishes are also awesome and I would occasionally get the general tso's chicken. Their egg rolls were always piping hot and delicious. It is a great place for a quiet dinner and I can't wait to go back!
(4)Patty V.
My son & I came here for lunch today 4/8/14. The food & service was extraordinary. Our server was wonderful, he was very attentive & professional. We both started off with egg rolls which were very tasty. We had a choice of soup which came with our lunch specials, the hot & sour soup was excellent. I had Kung Pao chicken & my son had General Tsaos chicken, and Roast pork fried rice all dishes were remarkable. Our experiences at Margaret Kuo Signature Restaurants have been nothing but amazing :) my son who is a Chef was honored to meet Madam Kuo herself a few months ago, she's a wonderful woman. When you come to any Margaret Kuo Signature Restaurant, The food spectacular & service is commendable and everything from Appetizers, Soups, & Entrees are outstanding, You will not be disappointed. Highly Recommended!
(5)Rita C.
So after driving by Margaret's Kuo's for the last 5 years or so, I finally got the chance to check it out one rainy night in Media....and then I was back two weeks later for Dining Under the Stars. That being said, I really, really like the food and atmosphere at here, but like many have mentioned, the service absolutely ruins it. The first time, my boyfriend and I were seated in the back of the restaurant, which is super dark. It was nice to see the sushi chefs doing their thing, though, so I really shouldn't complain that much. For drinks, we had the lychee and mango martinis. Both were absolutely delicious! Mixed well with just enough of the good stuff. Then we waited...and waited..and waited to place our dinner orders. We ended up getting the wasabi shumai for an appetizer and jumbo spider, fancy dragon, tiger, and natuto cucumber rolls to split. After we ordered, I asked the waiter if there was anything we ordered with nuts in it since my boyfriend is allergic - he just stared at me. So, I asked again. He said no and walked away. Odd. Anyway, we got our food and were really happy with everything that came out. The shumai was flavorful, but not overpowering; the sushi was super fresh and expertly prepared. We really enjoyed our meal! And then we waited a good twenty minutes before ever seeing another waiter to ask for our check. I really, really don't understand this! The second time around, I decided to try out the Mandarin Lamb. Think mooshu but with delicious, sweet lamb. It's my new favorite! I would definitely get this again, but would possibly skip the pancakes and instead eat the lamb with rice. In closing - I really wanted to love Margaret Kuo's because of the food (since that's why we're all going there, right?), but the experience was killed by the waitstaff both times I was there. This wouldn't be my first choice of restaurant if I was going out in Media, but I would probably go here again.
(3)Arthur K.
best sushi sashimi japanese chinese anywhere in the pa suburbs. only yang ming can compare, but they are chinese only. full bar and superb service.
(5)Adi R.
Every time we come here, we are very satisfied and pleased. It is like a nice fusion of Japanese, Chinese and all in between. The food is great and the sauce for dishes such as General Tsao's Chicken and Tangerine Three Delicacies is simply perfect. Many flavors over layed onto each other give it a great taste. Sushi bar is awesome especially since this place is not a dedicated sushi bar. This place is definitely one of the top chinese places I have been to. More great experiences to come.
(5)Amanda G.
My husband and I got take-out from here last night. Overall, everything was OK. Nothing stood out as being spectacular to me, though. The eggrolls were pretty standard, but they really skimped on the sauces (need more duck sauce, please!). We also got the szechuan dumplings, which we thought were covered in chopped nuts. I found out very quickly that, no, it wasn't nuts...it was no less than one bulb of chopped garlic. WOWZA. I'm still rockin' that garlic breath today. The spicy pepper tuna roll was not that great. The tuna was seared, so it was pretty tough, and the texture just wasn't good for sushi. The salmon avocado roll was fine. They did mess up one part of our order. My husband asked for eel nigiri, but they gave him eel sashimi. Anywho, everything we ate was edible, but nothing was special, and the prices weren't especially competitive. I doubt we'll be making an attempt to go back.
(3)P E.
My favorite dining partner needed their Kung Pao chicken fix. This place still offers the best Chinese at this end of the county. It did not disappoint. The gyoza were also very well done with the perfect balance between the frying and steaming. The pork lo mein was flavorless and was disappointing compared to previous visits. They still offer peanuts and pickled cucumber at the start of the meal. Service is always perfunctory at all of the establishments run by Kuo. On this visit it appeared that our waitress may have been training a young man. He kept shadowing her but was dressed in a bubble-style winter jacket and just seemed to hover unnaturally behind her.
(4)R H.
Just had a great dinner...started out with deliciously seasoned fresh pickled cucumber. Lobster spring roll and scallion pancake were good. Peking Duck was flavorful and not greasy...wrapped for us tableside! Peking shrimp was also delicious. Don't be afraid of the amount garlic...it is so delicious on some rice. And whoever complained about the price of the Jasmine tea in one of the reviews I read is so wrong...it was worth the money...great quality Jasmine tea. Service was prompt and waitstaff was polite and courteous. It was a very enjoyable meal and we will certainly return.
(5)Glynnis O.
Went here on a frigid November evening, and with plenty of room in the warm back of the restaurant, were promptly seated next to the front door. This place has a ton of take out customers, so every time a person opened the door, we got an icy breeze to wake us up in between sips of water. The service was as average as non native speakers go, interjected by hilarious musings by a staff member behind the bar nursing a Midori colored drink, but unfortunately our stoic waiter didn't see the humor. I got the beef skewers as an appetizer, which were excellent, and I carried this excitement over to the main course. Unfortunately, it was mediocre at best. I ordered the hot pepper chicken, while my husband got pork katsu. The chicken tasted old and was covered in almost pure corn syrup with a few crushed red pepper flakes for show that had lost all flavor. The pork katsu had a weird taste to it, like it had been freezer burnt, and the breading was very strange and unappetizing as well. According to my husband, this place used to be great, but it seems they have abandoned the great food but kept the high prices (about 60 dollars without alcohol). There was a constant heavy stream of customers picking up to-go orders, so it wasn't just a kitchen trying to clear out whatever they didn't sell that weekend, so I assume the quality is consistent. I know I certainly can't afford coming back to risk challenging that assumption.
(3)Jen N.
My husband and I ate here after recommendations from everyone we've met. We spent a year in China and have high expectations of Chinese food: Margaret Kuo's didn't disappoint! The dumplings were fresh, and steamed in a traditional bamboo steamer. The egg rolls were hot and crispy. They had plenty of Asian variety to make it easy to find something you want. The sushi looked delicious. They get full up very quickly, so make a reservation! You can also order take out, which we'll be doing! Definitely going back!
(5)Angela B.
Mediocre, and the food was cold. I expect a lot more from a $70 meal for just two people. We got the PE King duck which the waiter insisted was a whole duck that we would be best splitting - no way. It was shavings of a duck - with no flavor. The dessert we ordered was frozen - literally frozen and not edible. Our waiter was mediocre and had no idea what he was doing. Truly awful! I don't see the fuss on this place.
(1)texas w.
its solid, but it's not a go to spot...a bit pricy for what it is. drink menu is on point. Japanese offerings are very well done; imaginative and fresh on the sushi side, solid on the cooked side. Chinese food is way over priced, but tasty. ive never been disappointed, here. service tends to be pretty fast for the volume they do and they do a booming biz (lots of take out) the tv's in the dining room are distracting, but that's my fault for looking.
(3)Dave H.
Dined with a friend who's pickier than God; she wasn't willing to eat anywhere else. Thankfully their (decent) hot and sour soup warmed her up. Their main room is decorated beautifully, with sprawling Chinese characters along the walls. Real estate is tight (a bar takes up a lot of space), but small groups will do just fine. It was crowded, but we snagged seats at the sushi bar. Due to the crowd, servers weren't ever-present, but that meant more privacy. Besides, sushi chef Ken met all of our sushi-loving needs. Thanks to Ken, we sampled a couple of outstanding rolls, including the substantial Crazy roll ($11.95), jam-packed with eel, shrimp, crab, smoked salmon, cucumber, avocado, and egg, plus caviar. Easily a meal by itself, several bites are needed to subdue it. The highlight of the night? The Green Lady roll ($10.95). Cucumber, avocado, scallion, sprouts, striped bass, mint leaves, and LIME, it was wonderfully fresh, almost like eating a drink.
(4)Andrea H.
I have been coming here for over 10 years and it continues to be best Chinese food I have ever had. They have a great Japanese menu too and the sushi is fantastic. Service is always great and food is wonderful!
(5)Sara L.
When this place originally opened in the 90's, it was wonderful. I've been going here for years. But recently, within the last year or two, I'd say, I've had nothing but bad experiences. The first time I chalked it up to a language barrier. My husband is vegan, so when he ordered, he asked if the item was vegan since it gave no explanation of what was in the dish. They said, oh yes, it was vegan. It came out with eggs. He didn't eat it, and they wouldn't take it off the bill. The second time, it was Dining Under the Stars (a weekly summer event in Media) and my parents and I were looking for a place to eat. There were at least 12 tables set up outside, 4 tables of 6 and 8 tables to 2. Since there were three of us, we selected a table of 6 (no one was around to seat us and it was outdoors.) The owner came right up after we sat and said, "you have to be out of here by 7pm. Lots of reservations". I said, "well it's 5pm, and no one sat, so if we're done, we're done, and if not, too bad." Now i realize that this wasn't the most friendly response, but I was quite bristly from this exchange. And then, to top it off, the service was unbearably slow. If you want me out fast, I expect fast service. Furthermore, the couple behind us also had the same experience, even at a table for 2 people. They were told the could bring their own wine if they drank it outside, but upon being sat outside, they were then told, #1, they too had to be out by 7pm, #2 no BYO. Very annoying. For the prices, you'd think they'd splurge for a "Reserved" sign.
(1)Marissa S.
Went here for lunch with some friends... The sushi was alright and pricey. I've had better. I could not understand my waiter (native-speaking.) The ambience and decor is very nice.
(3)Jen L.
This place tries to offer a more upscale Chinese food option instead of being another take out place, but frankly that just doesn't do much for me, as it just comes across as overpriced and stuffy. They do have a few item on the menu that are a little off the beaten track and a little more authentic, such as the leek pancake appetizer. Not sure if it's always on the menu as it was over a year ago on Valentine's Day when I had them, but they were exactly as my family makes them back in China and I got a little excited. Overall, though, I am more likely to get take out from Jing Fong, stay in and watch movies while eating my Chinese food. I know my preferences are probably not typical here, since when I go out to eat I prefer to get things I can't make easily myself, or it better be much better and cheaper than I can make it myself. For a more upscale and authentic dine-in experience in the suburbs, I highly recommend Han Dynasty instead.
(3)Jonathan G.
I went with my family last night to celebrate a big occasion and was pretty disappointed. I will start off by saying that the food and ambience are both really good however the service was atrocious! It was clear from the start that the waiter had no idea what he was doing. We ordered a large bottle of Sake for the table and he was extremely confused. He must have asked me 3 times if this was right when presenting the bottle as if we had to have made a mistake. He didn't even know to bring a wine bucket with cold sake. This guy had no idea about service. My father ordered a filet and he had no idea that the needed to ask what temperature. I can be somewhat forgiving if you are new but at the very least be attentive which he was definitely not. Right after he took our order he disappeared for the rest of the night and what seemed to be the food runner sort of took over. Never checked back, never asked if anyone needed any refills etc... And to add insult to injury, all of the food came out room temp! I get it if maybe one plate isn't hot but the entire table!!! What can I say Margaret. When spending over $40 per person I expect a little more!
(2)David L.
Just love the place. Sushi is absolutely solid and staff is professional. Never had a bad experience. Try the take out too. Good choice for Media's "Dining Under the Stars" in the summer.
(4)Louis B.
Excellent dining venue in the middle of quaint Media PA downtown. The trolley whizzes by and it creates a wonderful scene in this little old town. My only wish is that they had outdoor seating like most of the other restaurants around them. But that would be icing on the cake. We went in and were seated immediately. Then we had a wonderful dinner. Tempura and Seafood and Vegetables, way plenty for two. Quality, ambiance and service were superior. As usual.
(4)Dee M.
I do agree with previous reviewers that service does seem to have slipped. I am a big MK fan having gone to her restaurants for over the last 30 years starting out with Peking which was in the "old setting " Granite Run Mall. I went there as an older teen in the late 70's and I was spoiled forever for Chinese food. The food is really good here but the service could be better and it would be nice if some of the things she does in Wayne were also done here.
(3)Vivian H.
They have a huge menu of Chinese, Japanese, and kind of American food (mm sea bass!) I tried the tonkatsu and chicken/veggie moo shu. Both were huge portions, like it would feed 1.5 people comfortably. The tonkatsu was kind of dry, and the moo shu was too salty I thought. Maybe I should have tried the sushi or some other seafood. The service is good, and the place is really fancy, but the food doesn't really back that up. I don't really think it's worth the price tag.
(2)