Makati Central Square

The waiting and service time were excessively long, with almost a two-hour wait. Even other full-service restaurants don’t take this long. Food was served to the table that arrived after us. The food was nothing special compared to Mang Inasal, and the restaurant appeared unsanitary.

The shooting range next to the escalator on the second floor below ground is very good. The instructor takes great photos and the guns are well maintained.

MCS has been around since the 1990s. It used to be an upscale place. It's gone through many changes but it still has its place in the Makati community. Highlights if you're going would be the cellphone sales and repair shops in the ground floor; the excellent Paeng's bowling centerat the Top floor; Aida's Chicken - a Michelin Selected restaurant at the Basement; and the firearms and accessories shop also at the basement. It's not too tier anymore but there are still real gems to be found there.

Mar 2025 Of all the updated malls in MM, MCS stands out as the last dead man walking with almost all of the main icon city malls having gone some sort of renovation or improvement. Surprisingly, it is in the CBD of Makati which still holds on to the bygone past. The building is an outdated disaster zone waiting to happen and one wonders how they get their building permits approved. Parking is chaotic and still has the spacing standards of the 70s. The stalls look like a step back in time as well. Apart from safety on has to worry about the sanitation standards as well. It is time to update this seedy looking place.

Glory days are gone but this shopping center is still in operation... has been surviving all odds of the past. Evidently, the fame, quality, and prestige were all gone. Sad that cleanliness has been forgotten here too.

A vintage, grungy mall established in the early 1980s, MCS offers a unique throwback experience—an unapologetically retro shopping destination deeply rooted in Makati’s past, with surprisingly diverse offerings that attract hobbyists, bargain hunters, and creative spirits alike.

This is not a mall one would go to just because. Gone are the days when people actually spend a fairly good time here for dates, movies and lots of shopping. It is OLD and mouldy but there are still treasures to be found if one really looks and opens his eyes -- and heart. Aside from Nostalgia, this place is like the extension of Little Tokyo across the street. There is a number of authentic Japanese restaurants/bars/grill diners can enjoy with family, friends or work associates. They all have excellent menu. Ukay-ukay shops abound but more importantly, the good old shooting range and "gun shops" are still here. It's worth the trip for one's "armory". Art scene, you ask? Head up to the top floor where the once-popular AMF Puyat Superbowl used to operate and you'll find a studio and an art shop.

This is still commonly known as Makati Cinema Square but was already rebranded as Makati Central Square or MCS. This is a really old shopping mall. It does not look like it is properly maintained. Ot is not iy well lit which makes some places feel weird, especially those going to the basement floors. There are fastfood restaurants, and some Japanese and Korean restaurants conveniently located on the sides of the mall with their own entrances. Cellphone repair and accessories shops are all over the place. There is also a gun shop on the basement floor. There are also some dental clinics, salons and some random stores that sell different jtems. On the top.floor is a Soci Secuity System (SSS) branch. There are a BDO branch and some ATM of BPI and other banks. I noticed that the nost accesible toilets have fees but there is a free one located on the first floor along the narrow hallway near Federal Barbers. There are obviously better malls than this. Unless, you want to go to the gun shop, have a transaction with SSS, dine in at those restaurants or buy something that's only available there, I do not really recommend that you go here.

Like Greenhills Shopping Center, Makati Cinema Square is THE place to find and buy the most random or specific things you need. It's been around since the 1980's and I'm glad that it is still around. Seriously, just go beyond its seedy, dirty vibe and you will be surprised with all the interesting things to see and do inside MCS. The number one reason I stop by here at least once every month is for my "Ukay Ukay" fix. The clothes are pricier here. BUT, this is the best place to score thrifted high-end branded clothes! I once bought a Kate Spade dress for only Php200 (woot woot!). Also, this is the usually the meeting place for me and my friends when we are about to head out for dinner. It's in the middle of all the awesome Japanese restaurants and is right next to Little Tokyo! Apart from shopping, there are many other activities you can do at MCS. Do you want to de-stress by firing a few rounds? At the basement, you'll find Armscor Shooting Center. It's a shooting range and, for Php1,000, you pay for the gun rental, two pieces of target paper and 50 bullets. If the firing range isn't your thing, go Legolas or Katniss and learn archery at Kodanda Archery Range. Want to travel back in time? Head over to Superbowl, a billiards and bowling hall. If you're a 90's kid, this place will remind you of the billiards and bowling halls of our youth. Are you a collector? Well, this is definitely the place for you! You can shop for vinyl records, antique pens, watches, etc. There are shops filled to the ceiling with all the knick knacks you would possibly want. You can spend hours just going in and out of stores. Plus, it's nice to chat with the store owners; they have a few stories to share. :) Though its reputation is on the ghetto side, MCS still has its charm. A must visit if you want to play hooky at work one of these days. :D

Some call it the mall that time forgot; I call it the mall of mish-mashed surprises. Makati Cinema Square has long been an institution. Built in the 80's, it was a shiny, bustling center of activity then. Fast-forward to today, it still bustles with activity, but shiny, it is not. While walking around its halls, the uninitiated might even say that it's got an eerie vibe. Though I think, kitschy might be a better word to describe it. The vestiges of the 80s are still very much in tact in the facades of the stores. If you get past the antiquated feel of the place, you'll start noticing the gems scattered about. On the top-most floor is Superbowl, the bowling and billiards place of an 80s kid's youth. It's even got a Magoo's Pizza branch inside! If you're an avid collector of vinyl records, MCS is you're mecca. Bebop Records on the ground floor has a great selection and prices are very affordable. If you're in the mood for one of the best-tasting chicken inasals from Bacolod, you better visit Aida's Chicken. For some target practice, MCS is also home to Armscor Shooting Center, a shooting range and Kodanda Archery Range, an archery range.

Frankly speaking, Makati Square looks like a Mountain of Suck. One of the better malls back in the 80s, the mall got left behind by the juggernaut of Glorietta and Greenbelt. Nowadays, the mall looks as presentable as a pig with a ribbon, and is more well known as a place to get your illegal DVD fix. But Makati Square is not a total hellhole. Far from it, as a matter of fact. There are hidden gems in this dingy mall worth checking out. For starters, there's an inordinate number of hi-fi shops inside the Makati Square, selling everything from high-end gear to analog stuff. I even spotted a place selling a setup with vacuum tubes. Vacuum tubes, ladies and gentlemen. Hipsters have been known to implode at the sight of that setup. And speaking of hipsters, want to put these vinyl-waving, Pitchfork-quoting brats in their place? There are two shops inside Makati Square that has been consistently selling vinyl albums since forever. Like, they've never stopped selling them. Yes, these guys have been into vinyl before it became hipster-cool to collect vinyl. Take THAT. Now, if you're into unique pieces and vintage clothing, nothing beats going to an ukay-ukay. These shops acquire old clothing from all over the world (Sometimes dubiously, it must be said) and sell it for a pittance. Makati Square has some of the better ones in the metro, and eagle-eyed thrifty fasionistas will find something they can repurpose. A lot of things, actually. The Ukays here are so good, Manila's elite have been spotted shopping here. No kidding. No, there's no quaint little resto here that people are blogging about, which is a shame. However, wonderful food exists inside Makati Square. We need to start with Emer's, a Chinese resto which has not changed its look since the 80s. Prices are cheap, and the food is superb. Come for the Pata Tim (A steal for P400 as it can feed five people), the Lohanchay, the Spicy Fish Fillet Stir, and the Cuapao. Oh god, that Cuapao. There's also a rather seedy cafeteria called Chiquitita that sells really delicious Filipino comfort staples. If you can get your hands on their Pork Kinilaw, you should go for it. Just make sure to go here before 4pm as the canteen turns into a Videoke Pub complete with go-go girls afterwards. Not a pretty sight. This is cheating, but Makati Square IS right beside Little Tokyo, a cluster of authentic Japanese restaurants, and home to some of the best Japanese cuisine in the city. While technically not a part of Makati Square, I'll take it.

Makati Cinema Square is definitely not a place for hanging out, but rather a place for purchasing things. If you're not easily bothered by MCS's seedy reputation, it's actually quite a nice place for a good bargain. More specifically, I go here for the 'ukay-ukays'. Sure they're a tad bit pricier than regular ukay-ukays on the street, but I'd gladly pay more for air-conditioning. You'll save more energy and will be able to cover more stores when your face is not melting away. Ukay-ukay is really a matter of persistence and luck. So if you're persistent, and the "universe is in your favor", you can score a lot of good finds for less here, even branded items such as Uniqlo, H&M, Zara, and so on. Though do know that some of the ukay sellers are knowledgeable on brands, so they will try to jack up the price if it's a popular brand. Most of the ukays get their goods from Hongkong. Aside from all the ukays, you can get a lot of cheap stuff here such as mobile phone accessories/repairs, audio gear, surplus instruments, and pirated DVD's. MCS also houses a few good food places such as Aida's and Emer's in the basement floor. Another favorite place of mine here is Booksale! Their branch here is huge and amazing, stocked with good selections of art books, novels and magazines. Don't miss it if you're into literature.

"MCS" is one of Makati's oldest malls and while it's currently not as swanky as the nearby Greenbelt and Glorietta malls, it holds its charm with its unique offerings like a gun range, an archery range, a judo dojo, et al. They also have a boxing ring/events space on their top floor. It's also a haven for bootleg dvds! And for the audiophiles, there's also a vinyl record shop. This mall has seen better days but it has its appeal to the laid-back urbanite.

Makati Cinema Square is a man's mall. Rough, unkempt, and antiquated, MCS functions more as a time capsule to the late 80's - early 90's than an actual mall in today's sense (instagrammable, date-worthy, air-conditioned). But I LOVE it. There is a gun range and gun stores. There are stores selling crossbows, knives, hunting gear. There are stores selling old cameras, pinball machines, classic coca cola bottles, books, comics, and toys. There are tiangge-style stalls selling cellphone cases, software installers, and pirated movies and TV series. There are no frills here, no fanfare. Coming here, is an in-and-out operation. Makati Cinema Square is a man's mall.

There was a point in time when fake DVDs were the "in" thing to buy. There wasn't torrent yet so people would actually go to Makati Cinema Square to get their stash. Because of this, this place was really known to be the underground market. There are other things you can buy here - cellphone accessories, cables, etc. Actually most of the things found here are found in Divisoria. I guess Makati Cinema Square is really more convenient for everyone. One it's nearer and two the prices here are not so bad. I remember I would go with my Tito to get different things here and we would end up eating in Aida's Chicken for lunch before heading back home. He would get so excited to go back home to show the rest of the family his awesome finds. The facade is not the nicest, so warning. And you shouldn't dress up there, you definitely should dress down! Also, be really really careful with your money.

Makati Cinema Square has all your random needs. Guns, archery, a mini Japanese food court, a Thai noodle stand, figurine stores, record stores, shooting range, and more! I was quite surprised that the food here in Makati Cinema Square is quite decent. It's affordable and costs around 100 - 150 pesos. I sometimes go here to have lunch with some officemates because it's just nearby our office and is budget friendly. My officemates and I usually get some Thai or Japanese food at the ground floor. We get Thai noodles from a stand called Sen Lek Thai Noodle. What we usually order there is pad thai (100 pesos) or some noodle soup with either beef, chicken, or wonton dumplings garnished with some peanuts, garlic, chili, sugar, fish sauce, vinegar, and some soup broth which ranges from 70 - 100 pesos also if I'm not mistaken. You can also get a noodle soup with everything on it. For the Japanese food, there is a mini Japanese food court owned by a Japanese man. The food court has around four (4) different stands each selling one kind of item. The four different stands are: bento box, rice bowls, ramen, and snacks like okonomiyaki and yakisoba. I've only tried the shiromen ramen so far which is a garlic shoyu based broth with some egg noodles and two small pieces of pork for 150 pesos. Aside from the food in Makati Cinema Square, you can find things like paint, paint brushes, and the figurine models for those that make airplane, tanks, cars, or helicopter models. If you're the type to listen to music from a record player, there is a shop here that sells both vintage and modern records. If for some reason you need some self defense like a gun, knife, or other weapons, it can also be found here. If you want to try your hand at archery or shoot some rounds, they have both a shooting range and an archery range as well. Although the place is quite old and not exactly the most enticing place to enter, there are a lot of random things you could find and do here.