Mahjong is having a moment again
For many Filipino families (not just the Chinese Filipino ones), the rhythmic clatter of mahjong tiles being shuffled across a table instantly transports you to a family gathering. You might remember the furry green tables or the tables with the paper surfaces where you could write your codigo as you kept score.
Meanwhile, all the rave lately has been the electronic mahjong tables, which automatically swallow up your old tiles, shuffle them internally, and stack them into walls. Not to mention the built-in dice!
Lately I’ve noticed that my younger relatives as well as colleagues have started foregoing nightclubs for mahjong nights-in with their friends. And unintentionally, I’ve started playing amateurishly too with family on lazy Saturdays, biding time and figuring out whether I should go for a chow or a pong.
Basically, mahjong is having a comeback, and it seems like its the new night out.
No longer the game exclusively played by the titas and the amas, it’s the new cool thing to do (do young people still say “cool?”). Anyway, it’s social, tactile, competitive, and something different from the usual dinner-drinks-party rotation. With its colorful tiles, East Asian visual language, and, of course, association with gambling and casinos, its aesthetics are glamorous and Instagrammable, too.
And you don’t have to wait for a family reunion to get a game going, either. Here’s where the party’s at around the city.
Meet your match at Mahjong Maven Club
For a more social, beginner-friendly experience, Mahjong Maven Club is probably the easiest place to start. Their events move around Metro Manila and are usually set in restaurants, bars, creative spaces, and other community venues.
For example, this weekend, they’re hosting “Lucky Hour with Auntie Gloria” at Gloria Maris in Mall of Asia. They’ve even had a taco night called “Taco ‘Bout Mahjong” at Tittos BBQ & Brew.
Founded by siblings Sheena, Sharlene, and Siegfried Lim, it might just be thanks to them for the Manila-wide mahjong revival. Gambling is deliberately left out of the club, and many of the players are complete beginners. For this club, mahjong is much less of a tournament and more a way to meet people, learn something new, and hang out.
Midday mahjong at Lazy Suzy’s
For a more polished, sophisticated mahjong night, there’s Lazy Suzy. A chic modern East Asian restaurant in The Podium, Ortigas, it even has a mahjong table ready for play. The menu is built around sharing, with dishes inspired by Chinese, Taiwanese, Japanese, and Korean flavors, so you can settle in over dumplings, noodles, and drinks while you play.
It is admittedly a steeper option, at P6,000 (so P2,000 each) if all you want is somewhere to play, but here, the food and setting are part and parcel of the package. And if your group is one player short? You can even ask one of the waiters to join you for a round.
Because apparently, at Lazy Suzy, finding your fourth is just part of the service.
Win at Wong Place
Wong Place has been actively promoting its own mahjong nights, making it another restaurant option if you want dinner and tiles in the same place. They have locations at Verve Two, 7th Avenue in BGC and at Estancia, Capitol Commons.
This is a great place for some contemporary Chinese fare like XO radish cake and Sichuan fish, paired with a Pallini Yellowello cocktail—all over and around your mahjong tile wall.
Go head-to-head against veterans at Sunshine Place
For something a little more traditional, there’s Sunshine Place in Bel-Air, Makati. The community recreation center has a dedicated mahjong area and a more consistent, established, and—let’s face it—older group of players.
So while the crowd tends to skew older, it honestly might be a good thing. They’ve been playing for years, so they know their flowers and their characters by heart. You might walk in thinking you know what you’re doing and walk out having been absolutely schooled by someone’s lola. And mind you, they might even be a lot more fun to play with, too.
Don’t go far—there’s also your own dining table
Home belongs on the list, and it might just be the most accessible type of fun. There’s no time limit, no one telling you to keep it down, and you can be as raucous, competitive, and lousy at the game as you want. Get your lola, your mom, your tita, your cousins—yes, everybody—and just set up a table at home.
All in good fun
A lot of these mahjong games happening in Manila aren’t tied to one permanent venue. Mahjong Maven is a prime example, as they move from one fashionable restaurant to the next, bringing along their portable mahjong tables and their community with them.
So really, you don’t need much to play a good game of mahjong. Just four people, a table, and a few hours to spare. Build your wall, roll the dice, talk a little chismis, and if you’re lucky, you might just get to shout, “Mahjong!” at the end of the game.
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