Our family of 4 came to celebrate both our kid's birthdays. We did not make reservations since there is a hefty penalty for no shows, just in case. Upon entering, we felt relaxed by the soothing ambiance. From the small decors to the dishware, everything projects zen. Since they are known for their grills, we ordered a variety: pork cheek, scallop, chicken cartilage, chicken heart, chicken thigh. We also had their Niku Udon as well as their Kaisen Don (chef's choice of sashimi over rice) For drinks we had Lychee Oolong, Strawberry Matcha, and Suntory Beer. Everything was delicious, price was high but worthwhile for special occasions. read more

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Food was just ok.......with their price tag, their food could be better.... It was an invite with family and was expecting some higher quality fish read more

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My husband and I came here for an early dinner on Valentine's Day and had such a lovely experience. The space is very cute and cozy and it really gave us that authentic Japan izakaya vibe. They offer a great variety of sake with no cocktails, so keep that in mind. The sake paired perfectly with our meal. We ordered the Valentine's Day special nigiri, along with shishito peppers, beef tongue, wagyu, scallop carpaccio, firefly squid, and fried chicken skin. Everything was flavorful and nicely prepared, especially the chicken meatball. Service was fast and friendly, which made the evening even more enjoyable. It's definitely a cute spot if you're ever in the Menlo Park area and craving a casual, cozy Japanese dinner. read more

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Was able to walk in at 9p without a reservation on a Friday night! Love the vibe here. Spacious, warm tones, nice soft lighting at the tables and comfortable seats. Food was delicious and wanna come back to try their sushi and nabe. read more

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A gem in Menlo Park! After a day of work and flying in, I was able to get a table for two on a Friday night at 9:30 PM without a problem! It is a cute restaurant. This is definitely upscale compared to other izakayas, and the price reflects that. The skewers melted in our mouths, especially the beef tongue! I liked that the chef had an accompaniment for each skewer, whether that be wasabi, fancy salt, etc. This was probably the best scallop carpaccio I've had in a long time - smooth with delicately layered flavors. The yuzu cocktail was good, so was the soju. I'm unsure if they offer dessert, but we were handed the check right after dinner (perhaps because they wanted to close?). You can tell the staff are proud of their craft and we're all lovely. It seems like they are a tight knit crew. read more

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One of my FAVE newly found foodie places, well worth the trip & $$! Located in downtown Menlo Park (which I never knew even existed lol) - the restaurant is a cute little corner spot sure to catch your eye. Being in the quaint downtown menlo area - parking can be difficult...the parking lot for the restaurant is tiny/limited so we usually opt for street parking which can be quite a walk depending on how lucky you are getting a spot. Once inside the restaurant, the ambiance is welcoming - the interior is warmly lit, modern, and lively. A host will appear & ask if you have reservations (which is highly recommended at least 1-2 months in advance if you're doing peak dinner time/weekend). I've always made reservations & never had to wait, but have seen a few others had to wait a while. Service has always been super quick, nice, and efficient as well. The staff do a great job at explaining daily specials and making recommendations. Menu overall consists of Japanese Tapas, Izakaya, Sushi, and one of my comfort faves (Sukiyaki). The drink menu has a variety of sake, beer, and a few cocktails/mocktails/vino - BUT obvi if you're getting sushi you should 100% opt for SAKE and BEER! Let's Dig In: APPS: - Corn Kakiage, crispy yummy sweet corn tempura that is legit soooo addicting. - Tori Kawa, crispy fried chicken skin with the perfect amount of seasoning. - Karaage, juicy tasty fried chicken with a light batter + seasoning. - Scallop Carpaccio, fresh delicate slices of scallop + a tasty yuzu sauce. - Sake clams, juicy clams in a delish sake broth that you can't stop sipping. Izakaya: - Wagyu Beef, super tender and well seasoned + optional truffle salt on the side. - Teba Saki, charred crispy chicken wings still juicy & lightly seasoned. - Pork belly, charred but a bit tough, wouldn't order again. - Tsukune, chicken meatball + egg yolk to dip, bit too mushy & my least fave. - Shishito Peppers, beautifully lightly blistered + touch of lemon & salt. - Okra, deliciously charred for great texture (no slime) & lightly seasoned. Sashimi - Daily Specials are highly recommended! We've had Red snapper, Flounder, Hamachi, and a few other white fishes that were all fresh & tasty! - Chef's choice nigiri (6 pcs), variety of fresh fishes with different textures, taste, & toppings fresh overall but wouldn't order again. - O Toro nigiri, sooooo delicate & literally melted in my mouth. A must! - Kinmedai, got this lightly seared which had a nice smokiness to it, would def. order again! - Uni bowl, beautifully presented but also so fresh & rich + many accompaniments to make your own perf. sushi wraps. A must for me! Sukiyaki American Wagyu is 100% worth here! One of my fave comfort dishes overall & they do it oh so well - with a tasty broth, variety of veggies, Udon (to cook after), + a tray of beautiful quality wagyu beef for you to dip one at a time and cook to your desire. read more

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Came here to celebrate my birthday with my partner during their lunch break, and what a treat! The servers were kind and attentive, even with the restaurant nearly full. I'd been craving yakitori for a while, and this meal absolutely hit the spot. We ordered the lychee amazake and matcha yuzu amazake. Both drinks were the right amount of sweet and were refreshing mocktails to pair with our food. The highlights for me were the corn kakiage and the negima skewers (we loved them so much we ordered three!). The tare sauce had just the right balance of sweetness and umami, which complemented the juicy chicken thigh and slightly charred green onion. The special lobster yakitori was an unexpected hit. I'd been skeptical since the shell might block the meat from the binchotan's smoke, but they split the lobster down the middle so it absorbed that smoky flavor. It paired nicely with the wasabi-based dipping sauce that came with it. Overall, the food was outstanding, though a bit pricey as many reviews mention. Still, it's worth it for a special occasion like this. Next time, I'd love to come back for dinner and try more from their menu. read more

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Our meal here was quite average. Everything tasted fine, just didn't blow me away or entice me to return again. Many reviewers complain about the price and portion and they are absolutely right. The American wagyu sukiyaki is $78 and only comes with 5 pieces of meat. The skewers only come with one stick. The price wouldn't be a problem if the value was there, which it isn't. There are many other izakayas in the Bay Area with better quality and better value in my opinion. The parking here isn't great - street parking on a very busy street. It appears they have a small parking lot but is easy to miss. Overall, I likely would not return. What we ordered: Chicken skin - very crispy American Wagyu sukiyaki - meat is good, broth is kind of plain Chicken meatball skewer - very good, but $12 for one skewer Pork cheek skewer - good, but again $8 for one skewer Mapo tofu don - very comforting, but not super special. Portion is smaller than it appears in photos read more

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This is a great spot for small bites, though getting full here can get pricey. The chicken karaage was excellent, especially with the yuzu kosho--we liked it so much we ordered two rounds. There aren't many places nearby that I know of that truly specialize in yakitori, and this one does it right. The charcoal flavor on the skewers was outstanding, and everything came out moist and tender. Each skewer was cooked very well, and the sides that accompanied them were thoughtfully paired and complemented the meat nicely. The meatball skewer was surprisingly unique, and my favorite overall was probably the beef tongue. read more

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I have nothing bad to say about drunken monk - I've been here 3 times and every time it's amazing! I always get it sukiyaki nabe and some yakitori skewers. The mapo tofu omelet don is delicious as well. The staff greet you right when you walk in and they are attentive throughout your meal. Parking can be a bit tricky since the lot is small, but I believe there's parking not too far of a walk away. read more

Drunken Monk - Sukiyaki nabe - Izakaya Near Me - Menlo Park, California

Great place for date nights! The ambiance was relaxing and intimate. The instrumental music was spa-like and upbeat. The interior design had a good balance of traditional and modern -- which matches their mission. Food was delicious all around. The Wagyu skewer and pork skewers stood out most along with the tuna nigiri and chefs' specials from Japan. Service was paced and servers communicated well. read more

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Great ambiance and amazing service. Food is good, but I would consider it very overpriced for skewers. My favorite was the chicken oyster skewer. Corn ribs were interesting; they fried and flavored it well. Gyudon was too oily for me at the restaurant; I enjoyed it more when I heated it up for leftovers at home. read more

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Drunken Monk 1438 El Camino Real, Menlo Park, CA 94025 Finally visited this place after living next door for over a year! Perfect timing -- caught their 2nd anniversary 15% off deal (85% price)～We didn't make a reservation, waited around 30 mins on the spot.The chicken yakitori were all pretty solid, plus we ordered the uni + ikura rice. Toward the end we saw the sukiyaki at the next table and couldn't resist adding Japanese wagyu... After eating it, totally get why this place is always packed 住在旁邊超過一年終於來造訪了！剛好遇到店家兩週年獲得85折的優惠～ 我們沒有訂位，現場等了半小時左右！ 雞肉的串燒都蠻好吃的，還有點海膽鮭魚卵飯，吃到最後看到隔壁的壽喜燒，加點了日本和牛，吃完不難理解為甚麼每次生意都這麼好 SUNAGIMO Chicken Gizzard OTSUKUNE Chicken Meatball w/marinated egg yolk SORIRESU Chicken Oyster (limited) w/ sansho pepper SUKIYAKI NABE【すき焼き］ (Recommend for two people, Served with Two Onsen Eggs, Rice/Udon (Extra Onsen Egg +3) CHOOSE YOUR MEAT: JAPANESE A5 WAGYU M. P. (Limited) with napa cabbage, carrot, firm tofu, shiitake mushroom, shimeji mushroom, chrysanthemum greens, daikon 壽喜燒雖然貴但肉的品質很好，直接融化在嘴裡 #winnie_bayarea #winnie_eat #japan #japanese #japanesefood #duck #duckbreast #tofu #sukiyaki #mushroom #napa #cabbage #menu#hotpot #skewer #weekend #anniversary #wagyu #meat #winter #灣區 #灣區美食 #壽喜燒 #日式 #吃貨 #美食 #海外生活 read more

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Easily made a reservation online for 3 on Sunday at 6pm. Their parking lot is a tad small, so you can also just park down the street a bit. Service was good, although it got a tiny bit slower once the restaurant was packed (around 7pm). All the food was tasty (and reminded me of Japan), but the standouts that I would get again: Corn tempura - crunchy, and the corn was juicy as well Scallop carpaccio - fresh tasting and the yuzu is refreshing Chicken meatball - great with the marinated egg yolk. Very soft. Chicken thigh - soft but juicy. Even better with the shichimi condiment that they have at the table Beef tongue + American wagyu - nice and beefy. Goes well with lemon (tongue) and dipped the wagyu in the leftover egg yolk from the chicken meatball. Definitely a pricey meal but they are tasty skewers. Would be interested in coming back and trying the sukiyaki or some of the fish. read more

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Beautiful restaurant with terrible parking, best to park on the street instead of their tiny parking lot. The chicken skin was my favorite dish, perfectly crunchy, not oily, and had a light sauce at the bottom. The nabe sukiyaki was a little sweet for me but the quality of the beef was good, just wish we were given more than 5 pieces... Would pass on the mapo egg omelette over rice, nothing special about it. The chicken meatball and pork cheek skewers were good but not worth the steep price. read more

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Love this place, might now be my favorite izakaya in the Pennisula! 5 stars - pork cheek - tskune - gyudon - mapo don - scallop skewerr - lychee amazake All of these were so good, perfectly executed and perfect examples of the dishes for my palette. Wouldn't get again - chawanmushi perfectly cooked but for the small portion at the price point not worth it imo, just get more skewers. - momo skewer, super tender but didnt have the charcoal flavor or the crispy skin of my favorite chicken thigh skewers, get the pork cheek instead Looking forward to coming back and trying more. All of our servers were super lovely and love the relaxed vibe of the space. Will definitely be back! read more

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After passing this spot every week while driving down El camino, I finally got to try it!!! Came with a friend for a 6pm dinner reservation and while it wasn't too crowded when we sat down, it quickly became very busy as the hour ticked by. Menu is pretty straight forward, but definitely more extensive than I expected! Didn't expect so many non-skewer items for some reason. Drinks: we got the yuzu and plum highballs and they were delicious! Refreshing and hot the spot! Scallop: Super yummy yuzu ponzu sauce and just such a bright dish that complements the rich scallops so well! Drunken combo: seaweed salad, takowasa, and marinated tomato! very flavorful tomato and liked the super wasabi forward takowasa, but the seaweed salad was nothing special Sashimi + ankimo: Very fresh fish and lovely creamy ankimo! Chicken oyster: so juicy! Came with sancho pepper on the side! Overall the ambiance was lovely, the food was great, and service was good. I think others have said this though, the price is a tad high for what it is. While I can appreciate the flavors and the quality of the fish, I can see why it would be hard to justify coming here often or if it weren't a special occasion. read more

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We were able to walk in and get a seat on a Thursday night pretty quickly. It wasn't too busy but we would have definitely had to wait if we came even 5-10 minutes later. They have a decent variety of food with some pretty special items. Corn Kakiage - a favorite. Anytime there's some sort of fried corn, I always get it. Very light and crispy batter m Mapo Tofu Omelot Don - the flavors! Deep umami. I admit I don't love Mapo tofu but I really liked this one Ochazuke - they used unagi, and I feel like you can't go wrong. While it didn't wow me, I find comfort in Ochazuke. Decent dashi broth Skewers - Sasami was my favorite. I'm usually a Hotate fan but dare I say to skip this one? That's the only bummer. Pork cheek and mushroom were good too. Sparkling Soda - I know it's from a can but it was so refreshing during the meal. Waitresses were very attentive and came often to check in on us. I think it'll be good for a decently large party if you plan ahead. Parking does suck, but we got lucky and got street parking really close. Plan accordingly. Service - 5 / Ambiance - 4 / Food - 5 / Price - 4 read more

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I haven't had an izakaya experience this good in some time. Absolutely phenomenal and the sashimi special and lobster specials were some of the best I've had too. Service was top tier as well and they always checked on us. Coming back here again 100% read more

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My friend and I decided to try Drunken Monk after seeing the high ratings, and it definitely lived up to the hype! We arrived around 6:45pm on a Friday, and the restaurant already had a decent crowd. Our waiter was very attentive and friendly, which made the experience even better. We ordered the sukiyaki nabe with american wagyu and rice, hatsu (chicken heart) skewer, kurobuta sausage skewer, tsukune (chicken meatball with marinated egg yolk) skewer, and the gyudon (sliced beef donburi). We also got one more skewer but I forgot which one. Everything was delicious, but my personal favorites were the kurobuta sausage and tsukune skewers, the tsukune was super juicy and paired well with the egg yolk. The sukiyaki nabe and gyudon also stood out with perfectly balanced flavors and a generous amount of beef in the gyudon. Overall, this spot is solid! The flavors lean on the sweeter side, which was a little different for me, but it worked well with the dishes. I'd definitely come back for the sukiyaki nabe~ read more

Drunken Monk - Sukiyaki nabe and gyudon - Izakaya Near Me - Menlo Park, California

WORTH THE DRIVE: My favorite all-around Japanese spot in the entire Bay Area! I've been dining at Drunken Monk since about a month after they opened, and I'm finally writing the review they deserve. I am the "will drive for good food" type, and this has quickly become my ultimate destination. It is a rare miracle in the restaurant world, but despite being a newer spot, they have been 100% consistent since day one--I have yet to be disappointed! Usually, you are lucky to find a restaurant that masters just one specialty, but here, everything is top-tier. Their yakitori, appetizers, sushi, donburis, and sukiyaki nabe are all incredible. The sushi chef never ceases to amaze me with his latest creations based on whatever fresh ingredients he has on hand. Check out the photos of my "must-orders". A note for true foodies: the chefs take great care to highlight the natural taste of the ingredients. They use seasonings and condiments to complement and highlight the food, never to overpower it. If you prefer super salty or heavy-sauced dishes, this might not be your speed--this is for those who appreciate pure, high-quality flavor. The vibe is casual, cute, and cozy; it's a place where you can really be yourself. It's perfect for a relaxed date night or a fun gathering with close friends. Pro Tip: It gets very crowded! Be prepared for a wait if you don't have a reservation. I rave about this place so much that all my friends now line up to dine here with me. It's worth every mile of the drive! read more

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Drunken Monk is a great spot if you appreciate high-quality yakitori and a cozy izakaya vibe. Their skewers are grilled over binchotan charcoal, which really shows in the flavor -- smoky, clean, and perfectly cooked. We ordered a variety of dishes and everything was prepared: Mono chicken thighs ($8) - juicy with great char Soriresu / chicken oyster ($9) - tender and flavorful Sasami with ume ($8) - light, delicate, and refreshing Corn Kakiage ($12) - crispy and addictive Wagyu skewer ($14) - rich and satisfying Beef tongue ($14, off-menu) - tender with a nice bite Ochazuke ($23) - comforting and perfect to end the meal The atmosphere is intimate and relaxed, making it a great place for a date night or a chill evening with friends. Service was attentive and knowledgeable, especially when explaining different cuts and off-menu items. Definitely a spot to come back to if you're into authentic yakitori and charcoal-grilled flavors. read more

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Okay. This place is pretty expensive. It's like over $200 for 2 people. There are cheaper (and I may argue better) Izakayas in the bay. e.g. Yakitori Kokko The food at Drunken Monk is decent (pork checks were good), but things take a while to come out. Sit around the enjoy the nice ambiance you paid for. I would pass. But, I guess if you wanna splurge to impress a date, go for it. read more

Wonderful izakaya style restaurant! The service was great and even tho our table was delayed for our reservation, they took care of us while we waited. The corn kakiage was a perfect starter. They also do a really good chawanmushi, which js one of those dishes that's easy to learn but hard to master. Highly recommend! read more

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We ate here for our anniversary. The food was good but we ended up paying over $250 for 2 people including tip, which is a bit steep for what it is imo. Even factoring Bay Area inflation. First of all like everyone said, this parking lot is bad. It's the old Gombei space. It's extremely small and pretty much one way in and out. Try to park on the street if you can. Corn kakiage: 10/10 would get again lol. Fried corn tempura I guess it's fairly simple but so yummy. $12 for 4 large pieces 6 piece nigiri sushi ($56): fine, nothing super amazing and we did select the specials of the day which included scallop, and a kind of yellow tail Kampachi kama (collar): also good but $36 for a smallish piece. Skewers: momo (chicken thigh $8), kashira (pork cheek $8) and beef tongue ($14). Pricing is PER skewer and we got two skewers each aside from the beef tongue so it added up fast. They were yummy though but I think we could've just gotten one and split it. Mapo tofu omlette rice ($25): got it for the "novelty" of the omelette part. I can make mapo tofu at home. It was good and filling due to the rice, but the ratio of rice to sauce was off. too much rice. The service was fine but I feel like our waitress was trying to upsell us like upgrading our nigiri to the items "from Japan" and said it was only a few dollars more (ended up being $8 more total). It was fine because these pieces were probably better and more unique but the vibe I got was salesy. Overall, good to fill the void of Izakayas in the area, and next time we'd cut back on skewer orders. read more

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I've been wanting to go to this place for a while and it's my day off so here I am. I came for dinner time and I started off with their Matcha Yuzu Amazake w/marshmellow drink. It had a nice decadent sweetness to it and I found the marshmallow topping pretty intriguing. For food I ordered the corn kakiage starter, the mini uni don, and their 10 piece omakase special. Everything tasted amazing! The highlights of this meal for me were the corn kakiage, the chutoro and otoro nigiri, and mini uni don. The corn kakiage was very crispy and well seasoned. The chutoro and otoro had a nice texture to it. The mini uni don was so creamy and I really liked that they had Hokkaido uni. The staff here is very kind and knowledgeable of their menu. They also frequently checked in and refilled my water. The restaurant is very elegant and stunning. The parking situation here though can be a little bit challenging. I recommend coming early because this place gets packed pretty fast. I definitely recommend checking this spot out. Try it out if you like. :) read more

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It was a really good spot. However pretty pricey. I normally don't care for skewers but all the ones we ordered here were delish. The nigiri's were good too. Prob would only eat here for special occasion. read more

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A friend took me here for dinner and it was such a great experience. We started with the scallop carpaccio and the fried oysters. The scallops were incredibly fresh and delicate, and the oysters were perfectly crispy without being greasy. We also ordered a few pieces of sashimi, and while everything was good, the standout for me was definitely the o-toro. The fatty tuna was rich, buttery, and absolutely delicious. read more

Hubby and I LOVE sushi and have been on the hunt for a new good sushi place for awhile. I've heard of this place from a few friends that have recommended it so I needed to try it myself. So when we booked the babysitter for a date night I knew we had to go there. This place is definitely for all those sushi lovers out there, it did not disappoint! It's nestled in the outskirts of downtown Menlo Park. There is a designated parking lot but it is VERY narrow. We just parked on the street close by and walked the extra minutes. You enter inside and the place is VeRy small. We arrived on time for our reservation but had to wait an extra 10- 15 min. So I would take note of that prior to coming. The decor is very traditional and it's quaint inside. As it's a small place, the tables are pretty close together and it's cozy. Now the staff! Oh my our server was so friendly and nice! She had really good recommendations of food to try and pairings and was well knowledgeable of the menu. Fun fact: there is no salmon on the menu!! There is trout which is similar. So in the sashimi dish we thought it was salmon but it's actually not. The flavor is super surtle. Why not salmon you ask? I asked the same question and apparently the chef prefers to not have it on the menu and focus on other dish! How fascinating! I actually didn't mind because you can find salmon at any grocery store and cook it yourself. These fish you can not so it was worth the experience! So the dishes we ordered were: -Yellowtall appetizer: so fresh and flavorful! -corn cakes: really crunchy and flavorful! -chicken skewer: this is one of their most popular dishes. It's nothing like I have tried before dipping the chicken in an egg and sauce -sashimi plate: the fish was suuuper fresh and melted in your mouth! -Mapu Tofu: a simple known Japanese dish but they manage to elevate it- so tasty! For dessert we got the panacotta and it was AMAZINg! You take a bite and it is a perfect ending to a great meal. Highly recommend! Overall the food and the service knock this place out of the park. The servers are very skilled in taking photos too even with the limited lighting - but they take a lot and make sure that you get a good one! I really appreciated that! If you are in the mood for some delicious, fresh and authentic sushi you need to come try this place. read more

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Came here Sunday evening with two friends. One of our friends made the reservation the day of, and we had no trouble getting our table. There is a parking lot in the back of the restaurant, but the entrance to it was very small and we ended up finding parking down the road on the street. I assume we were lucky because it was a Sunday evening so it might be harder during busier periods. They have a lot more seating inside than the outside would suggest. A lot of seats were already taken as well. Our waitress brought out water and explained to us the menu since it was our first time. She also went over the specials of the day. We didn't get sushi or hotpot this time, and only ordered appetizers and yakitori skewers. We ordered the chicken skin (twice because it was amazing), chicken thigh (cooked with green onions), chicken meatball (with an egg dipping sauce), chicken wing, chicken gizzard, chicken hearts, shishito peppers, corn kakiage and gyudon to share. We only got one of each skewer and they were easy to split (except for the chicken wing) and each came with some salt or sauce to dip it in. I appreciate the fact that the gyudon had a good amount of meat in it and wasn't just all rice. Everything was cooked well and really tasty, although I personally would have liked the corn kakiage to be more crispy. Do not skip the chicken skin! It was really crispy and so tasty. I'd definitely come back here if I was in the area. The price is comparable to other yakitori places in the area. Since my friends and I were catching up, we sat there after we finished most of our food and the waitstaff wasn't rushing us, which I really appreciate! read more

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We've been here twice and I've felt like the food in general is on the pricey side but very high quality so you get what you pay for! The first time I tried the sukiyaki and I really liked it. The bowl was meant for two but I felt like it fed three people well (if you had other stuff). The second time I tried the niku udon and felt like the broth was incredibly rich. You could tell the meat was very fatty and rich. The egg was cooked to perfection. The fried chicken skin appetizer was also quite crunchy and crispy. I felt like this one was very tasty. read more

A small Japanese Izakaya in the Bay, with very limited parking. We had to find street parking and walk to the restaurant. We have reservations for Valentine's and it was a cozy ambiance! Our server didn't have the Valentine's special menu and explained it all to us. Thankfully, another server had the menu and let us look at it. We tried a variety of dishes, from the chefs choice nigiri, to the special A5 Hokkaido wagyu dish. The corn tempura can use some sort of sauce to go along with it. We really enjoyed the nigiri and chicken meatballs! The A5 Hokkaido wagyu serving size looked smaller than the picture. It was sweet of them to provide a rose cut hand soap & candies for Valentine's Day read more

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Came here for a birthday celebration and it did not disappoint. They have a variety of options to choose from - sushi, yakitori, sukiyaki, and other small bites. To start, we got the following items: -corn kakiage - tempura fresh corn. It was crispy, and absolutely delicious! (must get, esp if you love corn as much as I do) -scallop carpaccio - light and refreshing -tori kawa - deep fried chicken skin. Do I need to say more? Loved it!!! -kaki fry - deep fried oyster. If you love oysters, this is great! Under the munchies category: -ochazuke - nice and warm rice, eel, and broth mixed together. It was great to share. Sushi: -Got the 6 piece omakase to share. Chef's choice on nigiris. Yakitori: -negima - chicken thigh with leek -hatsu - chicken heart -soriresu - chicken oyster -sunagimo - chicken gizzard Of all the skewers we got, the chicken oyster was our favorite. Kind of sad that they only had one skewer left for the four of us to share, but it was delicious. Highly recommend that skewer! Sykiyaki: We got the American wagyu with udon. It was a great way to end our meal. Something about ending with a broth and meat with veggie dish is so comforting. The portion for this was is a good size, that we were already so full off all the other items too. By this time, we were beyond full for dessert. Definitely will have to come back to try it. Parking can be kind of difficult if it's all taken. We lucked out with someone leaving, but otherwise we were going to park along the fence as one of the workers instructed us to. read more

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We made advanced reservations in this small Japanese restaurant for dinner in a Friday night.. they have about 10 tables and the best way to try the food is to try small sharing plates for the party. Lived the interior serene and authentic modern Japanese decor. We started with a couple of mocktail matcha drinks. Love the MATCHA YUZU AMAZAKE and the way it was served!! We tried the MAPO TOFU OMELET DON ($23) which was delicious with rice topped with spicy tofu and minced wagyu beef garnished with green. The most delicious mapo tofu I have ever tried!! Next was Wagyu Beef yakitoti and as expected it was so soft and delicate!! We also tried the CORN KAKIAGE Fresh Corn Tempura, ochazuke topped with unagi, a selection on hotate and hamachi sashimi. All presented in perfection with delicate taste. And last but not least the most memorable desserts which included Miso Panna Cotta w/Yuzu Shaved Ice and Matcha Mochi!! The dinner was not cheap but neither is the ingredients and quality of the meat and seafood present in each dish. We loved the experience and ambiance and will try it again for a special occasion, read more

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Booked a Sunday evening 6:45 PM reservation for 4. There is a parking lot but the cars parked along the retaining wall made the parking lot "look" inaccessible. But after we found street parking we realized that you can squeeze through the narrow lane to the small back lot. The ambience was cozy and the restaurant was packed. Our server let us taste 3 sakes before we made a decision. We ordered a good amount of starters to share but the standouts were beef tongue skewers and the pork cheek. We liked it more than the Wagyu beef skewers. I especially enjoy the corn kakiage. The nigiri was just ok. I would stick to the snacks and small plates. The mini uni don was good but you will need to request additional seaweed sheets. If i go back I definitely want to try the Wagyu beef sukiyaki for 2. We were celebrating a birthday so a dessert option would've been nice. On this particular night there was no dessert available. Big sad. This spot is a great date night option and small group gatherings. Perfect for munching, snacking and catching up over some somewhat pricey sake. read more

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Stopped here for dinner on a Thursday. It wasn't busy, but the parking lot is very small and was pretty full. Ordered the corn and tofu appetizer and both were really yummy! For skewers- the chicken meatball was the best, would definitely order again! Also got the shishito peppers, beef tongue, and momo (chicken thigh) . All were good but not super impressive. Also got the oyakodon & it was also very yummy, would order again. Having the rice made us feel more full and it ended up being the perfect amount of food. Overall, a bit expensive but definitely worth trying for a nicer yakitori and skewer restaurant. read more

Drunken Monk - Tofu - Izakaya Near Me - Menlo Park, California

We came here on a recommendation from Chef Wen at Ren Omakase (Best Restaurants Guide listed). When a chef at that level points you somewhere, you don't ask questions, you just go. We had an early reservation and the table was ready when we walked in. The team helped us plan out the meal so everything would land in a smooth order. We put in most of the skewers first, took a little time deciding on sushi, and still had the nigiri come out ahead of the grilled items. Service throughout the night stayed friendly and unhurried, even as the room filled up and the waiting area got busy. They let us move at our own pace, checked in without hovering, and never made us feel like we needed to wrap up. Before anything else, they brought out a tray of handcrafted sake glasses for us to choose from, which was a fun way to start the sake service. Their premium sake list is deeper than expected for a casual izakaya, and the bottle we picked (Kokuryu Shizuku 720ml, $350) worked across everything we ordered. We covered a lot of the menu. The hiyayakko was simple and satisfying, with soft tofu and just enough garnish to keep it balanced. The corn kakiage was airy and crisp, with shishito on top for contrast. The ebi furai stayed crunchy without feeling heavy. The fresh hotate had a nice sweetness, and the hon masu nigiri had a clean finish. The uni was fresh and smooth, and the wagyu nigiri, lightly torched with garlic chips, was definitely worth adding as a bridge to the skewers. The skewers were the highlight. The momo came off the grill juicy with a hint of citrus. The negima brought together thigh meat and grilled green onion with a bit of mustard on the side. The sasami stayed tender and worked well with the ume and wasabi. The tsukune was excellent, especially with the yolk dip. The uzura tamago made for a fun little bite. The sausage had a deep flavor and snappy casing. The scallop skewers were gently caramelized and stayed tender in the center. The pork cheek had a nice sear and paired well with the miso. The beef tongue was cooked thicker than I usually see, which gave it a nice bite without turning tough. And the big platter of wagyu skewers was exactly what we hoped for: generous slices with enough marbling to stay soft over the grill, balanced with fresh wasabi and a bit of salt. We also tried the grilled lobster, split and still in the shell, with just enough char to give it some edge. By the time we left, the room had filled with a lively, stylish crowd and a great energy. Between the food, the pacing, the sake selection, and the warm service, this ended up being one of the best izakaya meals we've had on the Peninsula. read more

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food is on the expensive side so it'd be perfect for a special occasion! (skewers are ~$7 each) my favorites were corn tempura, pork cheek skewer, beef tongue skewer, and sukiyaki read more

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Food is well prepared and no overcooked meat. Quality food and interestingly prepared. I like the corn kakiage! Chicken meatball is great! Gyudon is delicious. Perhaps the price is a bit higher than the everyday dining but it shows on the quality of food. read more

Couldn't remember what this location used to be but stumble upon and went for lunch. Picked an appetizer, a few sushi and a few skewers. Everything fine and pretty tasty. In an expensive location, so the bill was quite expensive too! read more

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