Is Majestic Still Worth It in 2026? My Honest Verdict for SM City Cebu

When a restaurant has been around since the 1950s and is still packed on weekends, the real question isn’t “good ba ang food?” but “among all the options in Cebu now, worth it pa ba ang Majestic in 2026?” In this article, I’m putting everything together: history and brand, location and ambiance, signature dishes, food quality and consistency, price and value, service and wait times, used to answer that as honestly as possible for the SM City Cebu branch. Is Majestic Still Worth It in 2026?

Quick Answer: Yes, But Not for Everyone

For me, Majestic Restaurant SM City Cebu is still worth it in 2026 if you’re looking for classic Chinese‑Filipino comfort food, generous sharing platters, and a familiar place to bring the family inside SM. It’s not the newest, trendiest, or most experimental restaurant in town and it doesn’t pretend to be. It stays in its lane as a homegrown, value‑for‑money Chinese restaurant with decades of history and loyal customers.

If you want:

• Reliable flavors you’ve likely tasted before,
• Big portions that make sense for groups, and
• A nostalgic, lively, very Cebuano family‑restaurant vibe,

then Majestic still delivers what it promises. If you’re chasing a quiet, fine‑dining ambiance or ultra‑refined, modern Chinese cuisine, you’ll probably be happier elsewhere.

The Case For Majestic in 2026

1. A Real Cebu Classic With History

Majestic is not a random mall chain that popped up last year. The brand traces its roots back to 1952, when it was founded by the family of Winglip Chang and Chinese immigrants from Hong Kong along Colon Street beside the old Oriente Theater. After closing downtown in the early 1980s, it came back in 1985 on Mango Avenue and moved into SM City Cebu in 1995, aligning itself with the city’s shift from downtown to mall life.

In 2024, Majestic unveiled its new look at a refreshed location inside SM City Cebu, with the Kuya J Group pushing it into a slightly more high‑end, Instagram‑ready space while still keeping prices in the value‑for‑money range. The COO explicitly said they want Majestic to remain “the value‑for‑money Chinese restaurant in Cebu City” even as they upgrade interiors and prepare to franchise more branches around Cebu.

That combination of 70+ years of history plus a 2024 refreshed branch means you’re not just eating a meal; you’re participating in a Cebu food institution that’s actively trying to stay relevant.

2. Food That’s Still Genuinely Good

Recent reviews from 2024–2026 show that Majestic’s food hasn’t become a “has‑been.” Highlights include:

• A January 2026 review calling their sweet and sour pork “to die for,” saying it was one of the best versions the diner had ever tried worldwide pork falling off the bone, very tasty sauce, and a clear “for sure will return.”​
• A 2025 family review praising “good quality Chinese cuisine,” with noodle dishes and pork ribs described as solid, tasty, and appetizing.​
• Older but consistent comments calling Majestic a “top‑notch Filipino‑Chinese restaurant” with “exquisite food, first‑rate service, and relatively affordable price points,” especially when ordering Patatim sets and Supersavers menus.

Separate food‑focused writeups rate individual dishes like Lechon Macau, bacon rolls, and fried rice very highly, with 9–10/10 scores on flavor, texture, and value. The overall pattern: some dishes are just okay, some are excellent, but the baseline is solid, comforting Chinese‑Filipino food that satisfies.

If you want intricate, modern Chinese tasting menus, Majestic isn’t that. But if you want Patatim, Pancit, fried rice, dim sum, and lauriat‑style spread that feel like home, it still hits the spot in 2026.

3. Strong Value for Groups

Majestic is built for sharing, and that’s where its value shines.

• A Patatim Supersavers set Patatim, Lumpia Shanghai, Pancit Canton, Bird’s Nest soup with quail eggs, fried rice, and Butchi has been priced at around ₱1,050 for a full small‑lauriat that can feed several people.​
• Fried rice and noodle dishes, typically in the ₱299–₱311 range for delivery, come in generous portions and are loaded with add‑ins like shrimp, vegetables, and meat.
• Families and bloggers who’ve done birthday sets report bills of around ₱1,000–₱2,000 feeding 4–6 people well, with leftovers and satisfied celebrants.

Majestic also pushes Saver Sets and promos, including 40% OFF saver sets at SM branches on weekdays, which target 3‑pax group bundles and try‑all‑three dim sum deals. Even if the exact promo at SM City changes over time, that “value via sets” strategy is clearly part of the brand’s identity now.

If you’re 3–10 people who like to share dishes, your per‑head spend at Majestic often falls into a very fair ₱300–₱450 range for a full, multi‑dish meal. For a sit‑down Chinese restaurant in a major mall, that’s hard to argue with.

4. Perfect Fit for Families and Celebrations

Majestic is one of those places where it actually feels weird not to see a celebration. Vlogs and blogs from SM branches show multiple birthday tables being served at the same time, with staff singing “Happy Birthday” again and again through the night.​​

Cues that it still works extremely well for families and groups in 2026:

• SM City Cebu promos explicitly invite families to celebrate Chinese New Year and special occasions at Majestic, showing round tables, full platters, and multi‑generation groups.
• Social posts from 2024–2026 call Majestic “Cebu’s favorite Chinese restaurant since 1952” and highlight it as “perfect for big groups.”
• Personal reviews describe it as a “family kind of restaurant,” with kids enjoying the food, parents appreciating the prices, and everyone agreeing it’s a safe, default venue for birthdays and reunions.

If you need a restaurant inside SM City Cebu where lolo, lola, parents, kids, and balikbayans can all sit down and immediately recognize the food, Majestic is still one of the easiest recommendations.

The Case Against Majestic (Or When It’s Not the Best Choice)

To be fair, Majestic is not perfect, and it’s not for every mood. There are real criticisms, and they matter.

1. Mixed and Sometimes Frustrating Service

Service gets mixed reviews, especially when the restaurant is full.

Positive notes:

• Some diners say service is “quick and attentive,” calling it “very polite” and “extraordinary,” particularly in 2024 reviews.​
• Others say they didn’t wait long for a table even on a busy evening, and that waiters served food promptly.​

Critical notes:

• Complaints about “poor service,” staff chatting instead of watching tables, slow response to follow‑up requests, and delayed billing.
• A few strong reviews mention orders arriving one by one instead of together, making it hard for the table to eat at the same time.
• One OFW F&B manager slammed the service as “worst ever,” citing lack of clearing and attention, and another guest recounted a long delay and missing orders.

So if your non‑negotiable is hotel‑level service, Majestic will probably disappoint you at least once. Service is often okay to good, but vulnerable to being overwhelmed when the place is busy.

2. Loud, Busy, and Not Intimate

Ambiance is lively, nostalgic, and very “Cebu mall Chinese restaurant”—which is a plus for families, but not for everyone.

During peak hours:

• Expect noise, crowds, and sometimes a queue outside for tables.
• Staff move quickly between tables, and the room fills with overlapping conversations and clinking plates.

If you’re looking for a quiet date night, a serious business meeting, or a deeply relaxed, low‑stimulus dinner, Majestic’s SM City Cebu branch will feel too hectic. It’s built for large, social, noisy meals, not hushed conversations.

3. Not a Trendy or “Discovery” Restaurant

In 2026, Cebu is full of new concepts: Korean grills, izakayas, specialty coffee shops, fusion spots, buffets, and more. Majestic isn’t trying to compete in that “wow, bagong lugar” space.​

You won’t get:

• Hyper‑stylized plating.
• Ever‑changing seasonal menus.
• Highly experimental flavor combinations.

If your goal is to try something new and Instagram‑trendy every weekend, Majestic won’t scratch that itch. It’s more “comforting classic” than “latest discovery.”

Who Should Still Go to Majestic in 2026

Based on everything reviews, pricing, history, and how it actually feels I’d say Majestic SM City Cebu is still worth it in 2026 for:

• Cebuano families who want a dependable place for birthdays, graduations, post‑church lunches, and reunions.
• Balikbayans who want to revisit a childhood or college‑era favorite, or introduce their kids to “Chinese food sa Cebu” that isn’t a buffet.
• Office groups looking for a shareable, celebratory meal inside SM without going full fine‑dining or hotel buffet.
• Visitors who want to try a homegrown Chinese restaurant with real Cebuano roots, not just another generic chain.

On the other hand, you might skip Majestic (or at least not prioritize it) if:

• You want a quiet, intimate date or serious business dinner.
• You’re the type who gets very upset by slow or uneven service.
• You’re chasing highly modern, upscale, or experimental Chinese food.​

How to Make Majestic Feel “Most Worth It”

If you decide to go, you can tilt the experience in your favor with a few simple moves:

• Go off‑peak when possible.
  Aim for weekday lunches, late afternoons, or early dinners rather than prime weekend rush, to reduce wait times and service stress.
• Use sets wisely.
  Lean on Patatim Supersavers, birthday sets, and Saver Sets to maximize per‑head value and make ordering easy for the group.
• Order around the strengths.
  Prioritize dishes that consistently get praise: Patatim, Lechon Macau, fried rice, certain dim sum, and noodle dishes as support.
• Match the vibe to the occasion.
  Choose Majestic for loud, happy, group‑based meals not for quiet, introspective nights.

Is Majestic Still Worth It in 2026: Final Verdict

So, is Majestic SM City Cebu still worth it in 2026?

For me, yes as long as you treat it as what it really is: a classic, homegrown Cebu Chinese restaurant built for families and groups, offering reliable comfort food, strong value via sets, and a nostalgic atmosphere more than polish or trendiness.

If that’s what you’re craving, you’ll likely walk out full, satisfied, and already thinking about who you’ll bring next time. If you go in expecting something it’s not quiet, ultra‑refined, or cutting‑edge you’ll probably feel the gaps more than the strengths.

Used the right way, though, Majestic still earns its spot as a Cebuano classic that’s worth your time and money in 2026.