Makati Cinema Square: An Insider's Guide to Best Eats, OG Attractions, Its Endless Charms

(SPOT.ph) Standing watch over Chino Roces Avenue since 1981, Makati Cinema Square (now Makati Central Square, though no one calls it that) is in itself a landmark and institution. And while it may not be the oldest operating mall in Metro Manila, it certainly feels like it deserves the title with an opening date only five years behind Harrison Plaza (rest in peace) and Ali Mall, as well as dim gritty interiors that turn the place into a time capsule of the early aughts—minus the crates of DVDs popular during that time. 

And yet somehow, it manages to endure and keep a loyal crowd in a way not even the biggest, trendiest mall with the strongest air conditioning does, with be-slippered titos, office workers, and families alike rubbing shoulders with big-ticket collectors, clubbers, and gourmands.

Even if it doesn’t quite have it all for you, Makati Cinema Square does have something for everyone: be it the expected good eats, ukay-ukay, gadget stalls, reliable watch repairs, or its decidedly unexpected mix of crystal shops, and trendy nightclubs (Nokal is at the basement and still packs it in on some nights), art galleries, airsoft supply shops, and vinyl record and hi-fi audio stores—and that doesn’t even take into account that it’s home to a bowling alley and shooting range, and is a semi-regular venue for raves, rap battles, and Zumba classes.

In that respect, it should probably come as no surprise that this weird but wonderful chaos was ultimately where proprietor couple Ron and Fifi Cruz decided to open a little vinyl jazz bar called Fat Cat. The bigger surprise is that this wasn’t what they originally wanted to do.

The birth of Fat Cat

“We were initially looking for a space for a taco shop,” explains Fifi. The manager of a speech and occupational therapy center, she found herself burnt out towards the end of the pandemic, and turned to bringing a long-time dream to life: starting a business where they and their friends could simply hang out. She pitched her concept of authentic tacos to Cubao Expo first, but it was in Makati Cinema Square that they found something she saw potential in.

Located outside the mall right by the parking lot, they were shown what used to be a salon. “It was so unassuming, so at least the expectations weren’t too high even if this doesn’t work out,” Fifi says. “And because the place was too small to build a kitchen, we went ‘Okay, let’s try another concept: a bar.’”

They signed the lease in November 2022, took a break the following month, started construction January 2023, and finally opened as Fat Cat in February the same year. In those four months, Ron—originally purely a copywriter by trade—began studying the art of mixing drinks, buying dozens of books and watching videos online even while doing the dishes, all to bring their idea to life. 

“Our biggest inspiration was the Japanese jazz kissa,” explains Ron. “It’s a jazz bar, usually playing just jazz vinyls. There are so many small ones in Tokyo, and we realized it didn’t have to be extravagant as long as the vibe and drinks were good.”

The couple has always gravitated towards music and art, and Fat Cat would become an extension of their home, filled with things they love. Artworks from their personal collection—including photographs by Jake Verzosa and Veejay Villafranca, as well as pieces by Poklong Anading and Johnny Alcazaren—hang on the walls (even in the bathroom). They keep a rotation of jazz records from genre greats like Thelonius Monk, Art Blakey, and Duke Wellington playing off their eargasmic audio system. The music is always thoughtfully kept at a volume where guests can have a proper conversation.

Combine all this with a robust lineup of signature drinks—including concoctions that have since taken Ron to the finals of prestigious cocktail competitions like World Class and Campari Red Hands—and you have a neat list of reasons why Fat Cat is widely acknowledged as one of the best bars in the Metro today. They now even have an actual resident fat cat named Ella (for jazz icon Ella Fitzgerald) beckoning customers to their blink-and-you’ll-miss-it entryway sandwiched between a cellphone repair shop and a yakiniku restaurant.

“Honestly, I attribute a lot of it to luck,” says Ron. “Malaking tsamba.”

Fifi adds, “We really don’t know the formula to why it worked. We thought this would just be a hangout for friends: we didn’t expect people would actually go out of their way to come.”

It could be timing, word of mouth, or simply whatever magic keeps Makati Cinema Square alive and kicking over the decades, but Fat Cat has cemented itself as a definitive part of the ongoing renaissance happening within this ancient mall.

And the Cruzes have no plans of stopping with Fat Cat: the authentic taqueria that Fifi first set out to find a space for is finally coming to life in the two-level space right across from their bar. Opening mid-2025, rambunctious younger cool cat El Gato is set to add to the eclectic cultural hub Makati Cinema Square has become.

“[Makati Cinema Square] is weird,” Ron puts simply. “It has a weird vibe that somehow makes it cater to all walks of life.”

To get a taste of what this mall has to offer, we asked Ron and Fifi Cruz to show us around and share a list of the uniquely Makati Cinema Square spots they've discovered and fallen in love with over the years: 

Bebop Records

Believe it or not, there was a time when Fat Cat’s shelf wasn’t completely stuffed with jazz records. A lot of what you see now was actually purchased in the basement of Makati Cinema Square, specifically from Bebop Records, which owner and avid music lover Bob de Leon has been running for 25 years. It keeps a meticulously-curated collection of preloved and new records ranging from jazz, rock, pop, and more brought in from suppliers in Japan, England, and the United States—and he’ll happily let you listen to different releases to hear what real quality sounds like.

While Bebop wasn’t the first record shop to open in Makati Cinema Square, it certainly is the oldest one still open today after surviving the decline of analog. And when vinyls saw a resurgence in the 2010s? “Other record stores started buying from me!” he says.

Sakura Yakiniku

Before heading up to Fat Cat, many customers eat at the yakiniku place next door, and Ron doesn’t need to ask to know. “You can smell it!” he says with a laugh. And while you might guess that it’s a convenient spot for dinner before drinks, Sakura Yakiniku doesn’t pull its punches when it comes to Japanese staples and, of course, grilled meat.

Its 30-years-and-counting history is definitely a testament to its quality, alongside the pride with which their server Jing speaks about the place and mixes up their signature yakiniku sauce from miso, garlic, negi, and other secret ingredients. “Masarap ‘yan!” she’ll declare as she places it in front of you. And when you take a bite with the tender beef you just grilled, you’ll know she’s absolutely right.

“We were there almost every day when we were renovating our space,” says Fifi. They’re still regulars, dropping by around noon for Sakura’s wallet-friendly lunch sets—especially the Yakiniku and Mixed Furai.

Sakura Yakiniku is located outside the Amorsolo entrance of Makati Cinema Square.

Tiu Theater

It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that Makati Cinema Square used to have, well, cinemas. It does, however, take someone in the know to realize that one of said cinemas is still in one piece, complete with its original fittings and stage. While the space—now going by Tiu Theater—no longer holds regular movie screenings, it still gets some action playing host to intense rap battles by the FlipTop Battle League and the visual and auditory extravaganzas put on by rave and art collective Kaput.

And even if joining in wouldn’t be your thing, Ron says simply being in the area provides plenty of people-watching opportunities, with instances of Fliptop emcees spitting bars outside the theater and Kaput ravers walking around dressed to the nines according to a theme, be it leather or “corporate normcore”—many of the latter pregame at Fat Cat, too!

Tiu Theater is located at 2/F Makati Cinema Square.

Emer’s

If there is any establishment on this list that can truly be called the OG of Makati Cinema Square, it is Filipino-Chinese restaurant Emer’s: it opened its doors almost exactly the same year the mall did, and is one of the few veteran restaurants that can confidently say their food is as good as it was in their prime. The bestsellers: their thicc, super-sized Lomi (P180) and their signature Taiwanese-style Cuapao (P80) with a generous helping of succulent braised pork.

“Their takeout box for the cuapao is good when you get six,” Ron recommends. Although he actually worked for a company inside Makati Cinema Square in the 2000s—Johnny Litton's, would you believe?—and recalls seeing Emer’s already alive and well back then, his and Fifi’s first taste of Emer’s famous cuapao only happened when a Fat Cat regular was so shocked they hadn’t tried it and bought it for them.

Emer’s is located at L/G Makati Cinema Square.

Hera’s Healing Crystals

In Makati Cinema Square, there are actually two places that specialize in crystals, incense, and sage. However, only one of them holds the distinction of having not one, but three huge fluffy cats holding their stocks of amethyst, jade, and tiger’s eye hostage—silvery brothers Citrine and Lapiz, and their half-brother (the staff is specific about this) Tommy. Perhaps standing in for lucky cats waving in good luck. Hera’s Healing Crystals, has after all, been in the business of good vibrations and aids for spiritual healing since 2015. Interestingly, however, they are a relatively new entry in the mall, coincidentally opening around the same time Fat Cat did.

“I took a look, and when I saw their cats, I said it was fate,” jokes Fifi. “So that’s where I buy my bracelets. You can also go there to have your crystals cleansed for free—but sometimes, it’s just an excuse to see the cats.”

Hera’s Healing Crystals is located at U/G Makati Cinema Square.

Wabi-Sabi Noodle House + Ikigai Cafe

Since it left its original spot at now-defunct The Collective, Wabi-Sabi Noodle House has found an unlikely home in Makati Cinema Square—which isn’t quite the place many would imagine being able to find fantastic yet wallet-friendly vegan and vegetarian fare. “When Ron isn’t here, that’s where I eat alone. I always order their Shoyu Ramen (P245) and Harumaki (P90),” says Fifi.

For dessert, Wabi-Sabi has an adjoining cafe called Ikigai. More than just your usual coffee and matcha lattes, Ikigai has a unique specialty: kakigori, or powdery-soft Japanese shaved ice with toppings like fresh fruit. A crowd favorite: The Matcha Kakigori (P230) with red bean and mochi!

Wabi-Sabi Noodle Bar and Ikigai Cafe are located at the U/G mezzanine, Makati Cinema Square.

Underground Art Gallery

Many gallery-hoppers stick to La Fuerza and Karrivin Plaza for their dose of art in Makati, but as a collector, Ron has been hitting up the under-the-radar art spaces in Makati Cinema Square since 2018 and recommends it to anyone.

Head upstairs to the second floor, past a few rumbling stray cats and an oil paint store, and you’ll find the oldest-running of these spaces: Underground Gallery, which if you’re wondering, got its name from its original location in the lower ground level. This is where collector-turned-gallery owner Manny de Castro and his team have exhibited some of the best Philippine contemporary art has to offer, with a careful balance of both up-and-coming artists and heavyweights like Nilo Ilarde, Johnny Alcazaren, and Jigger Cruz. But beyond being just a gallery, it’s also a community: you’ll often spot at least one artist on show vibing by the entrance, and the shows themselves are a collaboration.

Thirty-two artists have come together for the group show on exhibit now 4Par, with proceeds going to the medical expenses of Par Satellite, the DJ whose prized records play at every Underground opening.

Underground Gallery is located on 2/F Makati Cinema Square.

Aida’s

“Best chicken inasal in Metro Manila” is an extremely contentious title, and one that requires caution in starting a conversation about, lest you start an all-out altercation. But one name that many have put in the running over the years is Aida’s Chicken which was ran by Negrense photographer and collector Toto Tarrosa before he passed a few years back. Located right next to Emer’s in the lower ground floor (you’ll know it for its distinctive bright orange walls), Aida’s has the confidence to print that they serve the best tasting chicken inasal in Bacolod on their menu—and true enough, the city has actually given them an award.

Fifi first discovered Aida’s juicy chicken inasal while Fat Cat was under construction—and since then, she and Ron have firmly planted itself on Team Aida’s for the win. At a fairly generous P215 regardless of whether you’re having pecho, paa, or pakpak, there’s plenty of reason to try it yourself to form your own opinion on the debate.

Aida’s is located at L/G Makati Cinema Square.

Unique Bisyo & Arnesto Swiss Watch Repair

Up on the second floor of the mall, two watch specialty shops sit side by side—though one of them doesn’t even bother with signage. This is Unique Bisyo, and you’ll recognize it for the watch enthusiast haven it is when you peep its neat display cases of impressive vintage timepieces—from rare Rolexes and Omegas to even harder-to-find Seikos, Tudors, Breitlings, Blancpains, and Heuers (not Tag Heuer: its predecessor). Stop by on a weekend, and you’re likely to spot the store’s loyal and passionate regulars chatting inside, complete with an actual agenda written on a whiteboard which lists watch engraving, ancestral houses, and paintings among them.

“The guys from Unique Bisyo sometimes visit us,” adds Ron. “There was one time I saw that they were wearing a watch on each hand!”

Many of the vintage watches you find at Unique Bisyo are maintained and fixed up right next door at Arnesto Watch Repair. Specifically, by its owner and watchmaker Mang Andy, who’s repaired and cleaned up luxury watches for over 40 years—and he has a loyal cult following to back the precision of his work.

“They have other people who will repair your watch right then and there if they can, but Mang Andy is there on the weekends,” Ron adds.

Unique Bisyo and Arnesto Watch Repair are located at 2/F Makati Cinema Square.

Superbowl Bowling & Billiards

With 42 lanes and 20 pool tables, Superbowl Bowling & Billiard Center is a landmark of Makati Cinema Square's indifference to what other malls are doing: bowling and billiards are here to stay, available to play til midnight, as it’s been for decades. No wonder that it’s been the home turf of both the Makati Bowler’s Club and the Makati Pool Players Association for just as long. If you’re lucky, you may even catch World Bowling Hall of Famer Paeng Nepomuceno getting a few strikes in.

But the fun is for everyone, and you’ll definitely find families (complete with behaved dogs), friends, and coworkers alike putting on rented shoes and throwing heavy, candy-colored balls down the lands. And in the first half of 2023, you could find the Fat Cat team among them, closing early on extremely slow nights and to bowl and grab a box of Magoo’s Joey’s Special pizza.

Superbowl Bowling and Billiards Center is located at 3/F Makati Cinema Square.

Makati Central Square is located along Chino Roces Avenue, Makati. Open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. (excluding specific establishments). To learn more, visit their Facebook page.

All photographs by JL Javier.