Cafe Mao

For how much I paid for the food I would have thought the food would have come quicker and tasted better.
I not sure if they were understaffed the day I was there but it took 15 minutes for us to get an order in and the food arrived 40 minutes after that.
I won’t be going back, especially with all the other options around.

I’ve eaten in once, and done pick up the second time. The services was pleasant on both occasions. Very polite, quick service, food prepared quickly. I’ll definitely be back.

As an expert food critic, and general connoisseur, I can’t believe the low ratings this place has. Seriously, the food here is so good, that me and bae often drive all the way out to dundrum for some eats. (were talking, what, 10 exits on the m50???). It pisses me off that this place has bad ratings, because i swear on the lord and savior, he who is all holy, the only son and lamb of the lord our god, who prayed for our sinners now and out the hour of our death amen

Was here recently for a quick work lunch. Have to say I was really impressed by their lunch bowl selections. Pretty varied while at the same time providing slightly smaller portions of their standard menu favourites. € 8.95 is a pretty good price as well for the quality you’re offered.
I love their Thai Green Curry but their nasi goreng is where it’s at. The option of sitting outside by the pond makes it a much nicer choice than some of the other restaurants in the town centre but be careful as the fountain puts on a show every half hour or so and if you’re by the edge prepare to get a little moist from the spray.
Service was swift and staff are very friendly. For any coeliacs (such as me) they offer a gluten free menu, simply ask your server and they will send it your way!

You know when sometimes you think you have a craving that only McDonald’s can sort? Well not when maos around!
I said I really felt like McDonald’s and my eating companion suggested that I try the most delicious soup in Mao instead. I said ok to try something new but I really felt like I was missing out on my mickey d! Went with soup and bean sprouts. The second I tasted it I knew the choice was wonderful! Absolutely delicious, so many flavours, mushrooms, carrots and coriander, tasted yum, bean sprouts give a zest to the dish also, Watch out for the chillis in the soup !
It was about 5 euro but it nearly is a meal in itself. Lots of vegetables and prawns, (you can choose option of chicken also).
I look forward to trying out other dishes :)

Food is tasty — but my meal was served on a cold plate. They served us botteled water in jugs without specifying it was botteled, so we drank loads thinking it was free tap water untill we seen our bill. that was sneaky and decietful. however the staff were nice and welcoming.

Was brought here for a Christmas party. Place seems to have changed a lot since I last visited. Much more orange this time round.
The food has also changed… for the worse. My friend’s noodles came served like a swamp marsh and were as bland. Spring rolls tasted like deep fried nothing. My old reliable 5 spice chicken was so sickeningly sweet on this occasion that I couldn’t finish it. They also boast about having Starbucks coffee… need I say more?
Dreadful.

Whatever coffee MAO buys they should change! It’s bland and uninspiring!

Tired and hungry we wander through the Dundrum Town centre, my wife flitting from shop to shop like some retail frenzied butterfly while I teach junior the ways of the world and some basic maths (female + shopping = easier life for Dad (with a remainder of get used to it son)).
Hunger kicked in and we decided to treat ourselves to a little Mao — I’ve never been before but having a well documented weakness for Thai /​Asian food no one will be surprised to see me there.
She who must be obeyed went for the Chicken Ramen — which was OK, nout to write home about but filling and satisfying none the less. We ordered the lemon soul for Junior — which when it arrived looked great but turned out to be very greasy and fairly tasteless. He was happy to eat the fish out of the batter and munch away on the rice. He also much enjoyed the ice-​cream that came as part of the kids menu (1 main, I dessert for 6.99).
My meal: now, keep in mind I am always the one who orders badly; 99.99 999% of the time I sit in a restaurant and think to myself «why didn’t I order that… It looks much nicer /​bigger/​yada yada yada…» My wife recognises this look these days and moves her plate as far as possible from my reach… Clever lady. On this occasion however Q came up trumps! — the special for the day was a green curry with chicken — tremendous, lovely, filling, tasty, not too hot but glad I had water with me… you get the picture.
The staff were friendly and efficient and we left the place 34 Euro lighter and happy we had gone… which is as good as you can hope for with a quick lunch on a tired and hungry shopping day.

Reading the other reviews here, I kinda feel like I have to defend Mao. This place really isn’t this bad. Sure, they don’t offer the best deals in town, price-​vice, and their servings can be a bit ungenerous, but the food is tasty. Especially the MAo salad and sesame prawns. Yum!
And for the Mao in Dundrum, I actually like the seating area, especially when it’s a good day and you can grab a table outside, split a few Asian tapas dishes with your friend you can nibble on while watching shoppers walk in and out of Dundrum Shopping Centre,

SO relieved when i read the other two reviews here! I thought i was the only person in dundrum who isnt a big fan of this place! I often end up going in here because one of my friends is a coeliac and they are good for gluten free food but after that? BORING! everything is kind of bland and a bit tasteless. one time i got tofu in one thing and i thought i was eating a bowl of noodles and sponges, now i know tofu is likely to do that but other people have raved about it! what is wrong with them!
i do like the décor in here it is open and bright and airy and although it is jam packed with tables you still feel like you have a bitof room for yourself.
desert is disappointing so dont go here if your a fan of chocolate or other yummy deserty things!

Although I’m normally a fan of Mao wasn’t impressed with this place at all. We were given a table beside the toilet to start, nice! After that things just got worse. The waiter while friendly and helpful kinda forgot about us for most of the night, the food wasn’t great either with my friends noodle dish tasting a bit bland and overcooked.
As Kate said its really not spectacular and despite my good review for the DL branch I wasn’t enamored with Mao Dundrum.
The one thing it has going for it is the outdoor terrace which all the yummy drummys will no don’t love so they can pose to their hearts content.

Some people rave about mao but I wouldn’t be crazy about it. I’ve eaten here a few times and it’s fine — just nothing spectacular. I did really like their pumpkin spring rolls but there noodle dishes were a bit on the bland side, in my opinion. Just like a glorified pot noodle to be honest!
I also think it’s overpriced for what it is.
To be fair though, I haven’t tried any of the other mao’s in Dublin — there’s one in dun laoghaire and chatham row as far as I know — so maybe the food and service is better elsewhere.