Drunken Monk is very popular so expect a little bit of a wait if you walk in! However, the food is truly great. All of the dishes we ordered were delicious and of course, the most popular ones - sukiyaki, corn kakiage, tsukune, and wagyu skewers - met and surpassed our expectations. The chawanmushi was delicious but it is quite a small portion for a decidedly high price. I enjoyed dining here but since we sat facing the wall close to the entrance it did feel like we were in time out . read more

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Came for a birthday dinner and it was amazing. We were warmly welcomed to the space which is warmly lit and instantly smells of yakitori. Food was delicious. Everything was cooked perfectly. It was honestly the juiciest chicken I've had for chicken yakitori. The tsukune was my favorite. It had the perfect texture and the egg yolk sauce was The service was so nice and checked in frequently. Note that parking was kind of a pain in front, park on the parallel street of the block if you can't find anything! read more

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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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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

I made a reservation for my our anniversary at Drunken Monk and had a great experience eating here. We arrived at 12PM for our reservation and got lucky with finding parking at the tiny parking lot in the back. Please arrive early because parking situation isn't ideal. We got seated right away and were introduced the specials of the day, one of them being the beef tongue skewer. The highlight dishes have to be the beef tongue skewers and the corn kakiage. The beef tongue was seasoned just right and pairing it with a the salt was perfect! They're also pretty tender. The corn kakiage is fried with a light batter and the sweetness of the corn balanced out the oiliness. We also got the American Wagyu Sukiyaki set to share. The broth was light and my boyfriend thoroughly enjoyed the egg dipping sauce. I think getting the sukiyaki set and a few appetizers was the perfect amount of food for us. We also got the chicken meatball and the momo skewers, but they were just ok. The meat was tender but nothing too special. I found that the chicken meatball dipped in the egg sauce made it too salty. Overall, we had a great time eating here and would love to try other dishes. The inside is beautiful but I do want to note that the tables are pretty close to each other, so there's not a lot of privacy because you can practically hear everything from your neighboring tables. read more

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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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What a hidden gem in Menlo Park!! I've visited Drunken Monk twice within a two week span because I was so blown away with how great the food tasted. Came here for dinner for both times and I'd definitely recommend getting a reservation before you come. There's definitely a dinner rush here! I was greeted quickly by the hostess and seated quickly to my table with my party every time I've been to Drunken Monk. The waitress went through the menu and made great recommendations based off of what we were craving. They're also very knowledgeable with their sake menu, and were also able to make great recommendations based on what our preferences were. I had the corn kakiage twice and it was a great appetizer to start our meal! There's a good selection of izakaya skewers here and my favorites would definitely be the soriresu, momo, and tsukune. The chicken were cooked well and the different seasonings and sauces it came with complimented the skewers well! For the main course, I had the American Wagyu sukiyaki and it's definitely enough for two people to share. The udon texture and broth were perfect. It also came with a generous platter of different veggies to add to the broth. For sake, I let the waitress know that I typically enjoy a sweet and refreshing sake. She recommended us to try this new "sake rosé". It was a very refreshing sake with a hint of sweetness to it which paired nicely with the izakaya. Drunken Monk had a cozy and modern feel to it and the staff made the experience very welcoming! It seems that they have visiting chefs from time to time (while I was there, they had a visiting omakase chef). I'd planning on coming for the THIRD time next time around and maybe planning on trying their omakase! It's definitely on the pricier side; it'll be a great option for a fancy date night or a nice girls night out. Check out Drunken Monk! You won't regret it. read more

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This is hands down one of the best Japanese restaurants I've been to! Going into the restaurant, it's small but cozy. There isn't a lot of seating, and you definitely need a reservation to eat here. The staff here are helpful and explain the dishes that you're unfamiliar with. As for the food, it's phenomenal! The sukiyaki was amazing, and so were the nigiri! While the prices are high and expensive, it's truly a great experience! read more

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My boyfriend and I have been hearing about this place for awhile so we were hyped to try it. The service was great, they gave us a quick run through of the menu which we appreciated. We thought Drunken Monk would be like other yakitori places where they usually serve 2 skewers per order, but this place only served 1 for ~$10 which was already a red flag for us. Mocktails were almost $20 which was insane. We ended up ordering all the chicken skewers and they were a complete disappointment. You would expect a $10 skewer to be life changing, but there were some that tasted like there was no seasoning. Some that tasted like they only seasoned 1 side of the chicken, some were dry, and some were very salty. (We've had our fair share of going to skewer places and we felt like other places were more worth it for the price and taste) Overall the food had nothing special to it, small portions for a crazy price. The ambience was quiet and intimate. We felt like Drunken Monk was just for aesthetic rather than the food. read more

Summary: Good food, okay service, pricey. Spending north of $200 for two people should leave me much more satisfied overall. Good: - Food is objectively tasty, nicely presented, and well prepared. A few skewers were really yummy (beef tongue, wagyu). - Ambiance and location is great. Close to downtown so you can hang out and explore before or after. Tables were spaced reasonably well so it didn't feel crowded. Bad: - Service felt slow and disjointed. We came in as one of the first groups during the dinner opening but it still felt sluggish. The staff verbally listed out a long list of specials that were hard to track (hang an obvious blackboard or print out menus please). For a few tables, beef tongue somehow took extra time to come out even though it was a special. - Portions were small. A single skewer is $6-8 compared to other places where you might get two. There was no dish where I felt like I was satiated at the end. I left hungry. I'd be back if the service felt more consistent (both front and back of house) or if the food was mind blowing, but given my first experience left such a meh impression, I'll try elsewhere next time I'm in downtown Menlo Park. read more

We came here for dinner on a Saturday. We found parking on the street and got seated right away even though we did not have reservations. The workers were very friendly and social. We learned that the skewers were cooked on binchotan which is like a hardwood charcoal. We ordered the corn kakiage. I felt like this was kind of too plain. It needed some spiciness to it so I added chili powder to it. It did come with 1 shishito pepper which was pretty spicy. We also ordered the scallop carpaccio, chawanmushi, tsukune skewer, wagyu beef skewer, chef's choice nigiri 6pc, and mini uni don. I pretty much liked everything except the tsukune. My boyfriend did like the tsukune though. He liked everything especially the mini uni don, scallop carpaccio, and chef's choice nigiri. The fish was all fresh. Our favorite dish was the chawanmushi. It was so good! We regret not trying the gyudon donburi. We like how the portion sizes are so you can try pretty much everything without getting too full. read more

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Friends picked this spot for birthday celebrations. They called in to make reservations a couple weeks beforehand. We parked on the street. Our waitress offered to take our cake in the back when we arrived. She went over the menu and highly recommended that we order the omasake. She literally told us twice to order it. So we did. Service: food came out quickly. The wait staff was friendly. Food: Omasake: I am not much into raw fish but I did like the seared tuna and the seaweed with roe. Shushito peppers: this was good Momo Chicken thighs: this was really really good Chicken gizzards: this was good Corn kakiage: this was really good. Tastier than the one a mugizo American wagyu udon soup: this was good, a bit salty. Cake carrying fee: $12 beware of this hidden fee yall! read more

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Order: * Corn Kakiage * Tsukune * Miso Suzuki * Sukiyaki Nabe with American Wagyu * Kaisendon Pros: * Fish in the chirashi was undeniably delicious and high quality. * The egg dipping sauce that came with the sukiyaki was probably the best I've ever had. Broth was very good. * Comfortable, quaint, interior, not overly stuffed with tables. Cons: * I would have liked a bit thicker piece of sea bass so the grilling didn't dry it out as much. * The chicken skewer was cooked very well, but the flavor reminded me a bit too much of Cantonese dim sum flavors I had growing up. * Very limited rear parking that shares with a boba shop, about 6-9 spots? Otherwise, it's El Camino. * Value Comments: * The quality of the ingredients is undeniable, service was okay, so I felt the prices were high relative to my dining experience. read more

Service was good. They were all very nice. I liked the ambiance as it was quite intimate and the decor was like a modernized japanese style, so I thought it was cute. They played music in the background, which boosted the ambiance. Although, at one point, the music stopped for a couple of minutes and ot was weird that we could hear other tables' conversations. Food was only decent, but was aesthetic. It felt somewhat underseasoned and somewhat lackluster for the price. We weren't really hungry, so my partner and I just got a couple of small dishes to share, which turned out to be just the right portion size... but the total after tip was $70. If the flavors blew my mind, then I wouldn't have minded... but it was just so mediocre and the portion size didn't justify the bill. We got the corn fritter, chawanmushi, and mapo tofu don. My favorite out of the three was the chawanmushi because of the freshness of the ingredients. The other two dishes barely tasted like anything. Overall, I don't see myself coming back here... at least anytime soon. read more

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The staff were incredibly kind and helpful, especially sharing with us their favorites from the menu. They were pretty attentive in regards to water refills and cleaning our plates. We loved their uni, nigiri, mapotofu, and momo skewers, which we'll absolutely re-order the next time we're there. In terms of atmosphere, it's a wonderfully mid sized restaurant that can easily fill up during dinner rushes. I'd highly recommend coming early to snag a table if you don't already have a reservation. Parking is incredibly limited, so expect to find something in the plaza over or street parking. read more

TLDR: service was great, food was fresh but pretty expensive for the portion size Reservations are highly recommended but me and my two friends came on Saturday right at 5pm to snag a table at the bar. The servers took the time to explain the menu, go through recommendations, and introduced each dish as they arrived. Food was also excellent quality. We got the corn tempura, unagi chazuke, mini uni don, and various yakitori (chicken heart, chicken meatball, beef tongue, and chicken oyster). Mini uni don- super fresh, can't go wrong. Love that it came with nori and shiso leaf to make little bites Corn tempura- great crunch, had a furikake-like seasoning on top that was super addicting Unagi chazuke- tasty, but pretty standard unagi; can't go wrong but not WOW Various yakitori- all very tasty but pricey, my favorite was the chicken heart bc it had the most charred flavor than the rest. Tsukune was also really good. Beef tongue was the special for the night and it was $16 for one skewer... Chicken oyster sounded fun but it was least flavor amongst the rest and just tasted like dark meat chicken My friend had the seasonal 10 piece sashimi that had 5 varieties of fish and ikura. I would prefer to have more variety so I'm not sure if it was worth $98. read more

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for a special occasion, absolutely worth it for an izakaya + skewers experience! the meats were so tender and flavorful! the most unexpected dish we had was the corn kakiage and i'd go back just for that! service is so thoughtful and is a great place for small groups or 1:1! read more

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Recently came here for a date night/dinner, and was pleasantly surprised! It's a cute, small restaurant in Menlo Park with a gorgeous, modern interior and lo-fi music vibes. The staff were incredibly nice and I liked how they made an effort to get to know our food preferences. We tried a variety of yakitori, sashimi, and apps. The ones that I say are a must get are: - corn kakiage - fresh corn tempura. This was super unique and I've never had this before at other yakitori spots. It is sweet, flavorful, delicious! - pork cheek - this is a dangerous one. I love the texture and bite to it, SUPER flavorful, we def got more than enough orders for the two of us lol - sake clam - generous # of clams, the size of the clams were also heftier than I thought which is nice, delicious garlic butter "broth", one of my favorite dishes of the night. - chu-hi cocktails - I got the yuzu but they have other flavors like lemon, peach, and plum. These are sweet and refreshing! I knocked it down 1 star due to: - pricing: although the food was delicious, it is on the pricier end (which I guess is expected given the area we're in) - parking: we came early for dinner so we were able to snag a spot in the parking lot in the pack. It is super small and minimal street parking in the front, so expect to park a few blocks down if these options get filled. Would I recommend? Yes, I'd come here for a special occasion! Come early (for parking) and make a reservation! read more

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Drunken Monk is my latest favorite find. Not only is the food presentation on point, but the food is high quality and service is exceptional. Tucked in Menlo Park, this unassuming spot can be easily missed if you're driving down El Camino Real. The parking lot is perhaps the smallest lot I've ever seen with no more than 7 or 8 spots, and in addition to that, it's very tight. So make sure you park within the lines or maybe if you're lucky enough you'll snag a spot along the narrow driveway. We didn't have reservations but after reading the reviews, it seems like this spot isn't too busy for lunch so we tried our luck right at opening. We arrived at noon and we were seated immediately. The interior is warm with wood accents, decorated with a zen ambiance. It is a bit dimly lit so it does feel a bit more intimate. The menu features a few lunch exclusives, in addition to some daily specials so ask your server if you're looking to try something new. The menu does offer a wide variety of yakitori items, sashimi bowls, rice bowls, sukiyaki, as well as an alcohol/mocktail menu stacked with some creative drinks. We ordered two rice bowls and a few skewers and everything came out delicious! The presentation here is impeccable and the quality of each dish truly impressed us. * Beef tongue- this is a special so I'm not sure if this will be permanent on the menu. But this was delicious! The tongue had a nice chew to it but wasn't hard too too tough. The meat had a nice smoky charcoal flavor and when paired with a drizzle of lemon juice, it just hits that perfect savory acidic bite. * Tuna bowl- This is a beautifully presented dish filled with various tuna cuts and topped off with ikura. The seared tuna is honestly the best part. Sashimi quality is fantastic and each bite was absolutely buttery. I love how the sushi rice was already seasoned with a soy flavor so you don't really even need to dip soy sauce. I love that they add that fresh wasabi- it really makes a huge difference. *Gyudon bowl- Beef was tender and the runny egg just melts into the rice beautifully. Each bite was tasty- just missing some chili and it would be perfect. *chicken meatball- this was good. I do feel like it was already pretty greasy and heavy on its own and could be done without the egg dipping. However the chicken meatball was cooked perfectly as it was juicy and smoky. It was good but I would skip it next time. *wagyu nigiri- We loved this. The wagyu really does melt effortlessly on your tongue. Meat quality does reflect the heavy price tag. It was worth the try. Something I would improve is how slippery and greasy the floor is in the bathroom, which could be a huge safety concern. So please do be careful! My father and I both almost slipped when we took turns using the restroom. Other than that, the food was executed so well and the service was kind and courteous. Due to the higher prices, I would come back for my next special occasion I'm looking to celebrate. Thank you Drunken Monk! read more

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Wonderful dishes. We started with the corn app. It was a 7/10 IMO and I was glad I got but not sure I'd get again. I got the peach cocktail with marshmallows. Was really good. You can skip the marshmallows but the drink tasted like liquid peaches. Got the omakase for main dish. It was amazing. We shared this dish. Was t enough to fill me but man was it well worth it. The fish was so light and refreshing. I'll be back for just that dish! Will be back to try their hot pots. Had the neighbors get that and I wanted it ;) read more

The restaurant parking is in a narrow driveway which we had to turn back around to find. We made dinner reservations at 7PM and waited for 40 minutes to get seated. We ordered the peach chu-hai which was extremely sweet. For appetizers we ordered the corn kakiage (corn tempura), tori kawa (fried chicken skin) and kaki fry (oyster tempura). The starters were all equally great and fried to perfection. Later we ordered the gyudon, yakitori (momo, quail, scallops, kurobuta sausage), akami sushi and sukiyaki nabe w/ American wagyu. The gyudon was delicious. The yakitori here is definitely the star of the show. Everything was so tender and delicious especially the momo. The akami sushi was fresh but the rice had a mushy texture. I was super disappointed in the sukiyaki nabe especially for $78, I was expecting something more flavorful - it was mainly just cabbage. Overall, everything here is great for sharing and a nice intimate setting! read more

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We had an 8pm reservation and the place was busy for a Thursday night. The place was packed and a few people were waiting for their party. There were mostly couples or tables for two, with a few groups. The food was great. There were several izakaya dishes, and we also liked the vegetable options. The lobster tail and beef made a great surf and turf pairing! The staff were attentive and helpful. read more

Drunken Monk (in the old Gombei location) is such a great find. The food is expertly cooked and full of flavor, with an easygoing, welcoming vibe. The yakitori is excellent -- perfectly grilled with great balance -- and the chicken and egg meatball is absolutely to die for. Even the sushi is quietly outstanding -- traditional, unassuming, and incredibly fresh, with fish flown in directly from Japan. It's rare to find a spot that combines such authenticity with warmth and consistency. Definitely one of the best new Japanese spots in town! read more

Came here on a double date. Was a little disappointed because we had a reservation but had to wait over 40 minutes so keep that in mind. The ambiance of the place was not memorable to be quite honest but it was nice and clean inside. We ordered a ton of things. The fried oysters, corn tempura, skewers, the shabu, beef bowl and more. The most memorable things to me were definitely the corn tempura! I would get this again forsure. The chicken skin was also tasty but a little bit too heavy. I think the food overall was pretty fresh and good. The service was also very good. All in all a pretty decent spot for a yummy meal! read more

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Really mixed feelings about this place, and it's disappointing after seeing so much hype! FOOD: The sukiyaki is of okay quality, but to be honest the broths lacked a depth of flavor compared to others I've had. The meat is alright, but I've seen some pre-prepared options at H-mart with more marbling. We also ordered a starter mix of some vegetables but nothing notable for the price. DRINKS: I did like the drinks, their cocktails were interesting and fun. There's a yuzu-esque soda that I definitely reccomend. PRICE: I think it's incredibly overpriced for what you're getting. Presentation is stunning but the quality of the food doesn't justify a $100+ bill, even in the Bay Area. I've paid for high quality meats at k-bbqs but this wasn't the same standard. EXPERIENCE: The interior is cute, dim lighting with minimal deco. You must make a reservation in advance with Yelp. Service was quite slow and I did feel that we were being rushed at some points. Perhaps this is best saved as a happy hour spot or a short trip for drinks and some karaage. I wouldn't be returning for anything else. read more

Drunken Monk - Izakaya Near Me - Menlo Park, California

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Came here with my partner on a Thursday. Parking was a little hard, they have their own parking lot but it's small, we ended up parking on the street about a block away. The restaurant gave off a cozy vibe, with charming waiting areas both indoors and outdoors. The lighting is very dimmed which gave it a imitate experience. Our server spent a good five minutes explaining the menu, offering recommendations and specials not listed. The variety was impressive, ranging from yakitori and sukiyaki to sushi. Here's what we ordered: Scallop Carpaccio (9/10): Amazing, zesty, and perfectly fresh and sweet! Pork Cheeks Yakitori (9/10): Chewy and bouncy, came with a nice miso glazed and the charcoal grilled flavor really shines here. Chicken Gizzard Yakitori (6/10): It was surprisingly tough and hard to chew and I usually LOVE gizzards. Tsukune Chicken Meatballs (1000/10): Get it! I was blown away, the meat was so flavorful, juicy & airy. Perfectly seasoned and paired really well with the raw egg yolk when dipped! Ochazuke (8/10): This is a rice dish with a grilled unagi on top. The dish comes with a cute little tea pot so you can pour the tea over and eat it like soup. When the tea is added, it tasted a little bland and the portion was smaller than I expected. Overall, my first experience here was delightful. The portions were a bit small and the prices steep, but I left feeling very happy with the meal. I'd definitely return for special occasions! read more

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ngl, the prices r HIGH and plates are smalllll. it was hard to know what to get? what we did get was AMAZING though - incredible quality fish and intricate dishes. the wagyu skewer was like (*'o'*) (*'o'*) (*'o'*) maybe stop at arby on the way home? read more

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Loved this place; tasteful decor, vibrant ambiance, quality ingredients and friendly service! The wagyu sukiyaki was so good, the beef had beautiful marbling and was melt in your mouth. Along with a kaarage appetizer and don rice bowl, this was the perfect amount to share between four people. We came by to celebrate my parent's birthday and although I mentioned it I don't think Drunken Monk is the type of establishment to acknowledge it. Parking is super limited, might need to settle for street spots along El Camino. read more

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5 stars if you only care about food quality 4 stars if you also care about value We had a nice Saturday dinner with our friend. We ordered Sukiyaki with American wagyu (the default), some yakitori skewers, and some grilled skewers. We had absolutely no complaint about the food. In fact this place probably has one of the best Japanese skewers we've ever had. We highly recommend the beef tongue (special item), chicken thigh, and pork cheek skewers. Sukiyaki is one of the most popular items from what we could see. And it probably should be your go to item as well if you wanna get full without going bankrupt. We were told a Michelin sushi chef from SF was on premise and were recommended to try some of the sushi items before and I quote "the chef goes and opens his own restaurant". We didn't order any sadly, as one of our party members is in no condition for raw fish. That aside, we were indeed shocked by the nigiri and sashimi omakase prices. Much higher than some fine restaurants in SF. Service was excellent. However, by the time we paid our check, we were reminded by our waitress that some customers were waiting for the table (in other words we were kindly asked to leave). We had a reservation, and there's no time limit as far as we know (we didn't dine for long anyway). The place is very busy. So keep that in mind. Parking is quite limited in the small parking lot of the restaurant. read more

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We made lunch reservations, and the restaurant quickly filled up during our visit. The space is small but charming, with a cozy ambiance. Our waitress was friendly and took the time to explain the menu. The amazake mocktails were on the sweeter side. We ordered a variety of dishes, and the pacing of the meal was well-balanced. Everything was delicious, with the amberjack nigiri being the highlight for me. The chicken meatball skewer is unique (we each ordered one but you could split one order between two people if you just want to taste it). We shared an order of the kaisendon which was fresh and filling. Next time we'll try the other dons and skewer options. It was a lovely lunch and we look forward to our next visit. read more

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Stopped in by myself before my flight! The vibe is warm and inviting, exactly what you want for Izakaya. The service was excellent--the staff were friendly, happy to explain the menu, and checked on me regularly. I ordered the Mini Uni Don. The uni was fresh and satisfying. The portion was just right for one and it came with seaweed to make little wraps. The combination of the rich uni and roe oil with the lightly seasoned rice and a touch of wasabi was absolutely flavorful. The only minor note was that the special scallop sashimi was a bit plain for my taste; it lacked the expected sweetness. Perhaps make it a carpaccio would elevate it. Wish I had time to stay for a drink! I'll definitely be back to try more on the menu. Highly recommend for a quality meal. read more

Drunken Monk - Mini Uni Don - Izakaya Near Me - Menlo Park, California

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Whenever we're in the area, we try to stop by Drunken Monk for dinner. It's a cute, casual, but nice and intimate izakaya spot with a great mix of traditional and modern dishes. Whenever we come, we usually start off with a few skewers. Be sure to hear what skewers they have on special, those are usually pretty tasty. I also like the wagyu and chicken meatball. For appetizers, my go to is the crispy chicken skin -- the pieces are so crunchy and nicely seasoned! I also like the corn tempura as a starter. You really can't go wrong with any of the dishes! The service is also really great, the servers usually recognize us and are so welcoming. Definitely a great local spot worth checking out! read more

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We were in the South Bay for a Mother's Day weekend and Drunken Monk won the consensus. Friday night at 7:30 was our reserved time slot. Parking was tricky as the very limited lot was full, so I had to park around the neighborhood block and had to traverse the closed Ducky's Carwash to reach this destination. The place was equally small. Tightly spaced tables were packed and customers were waiting outside as well as inside. Our table of five was seated near the bar area and we were able to see the nigiri being made. It was loud so the server had to speak slowly and clearly about the specials. Though we deferred them and ordered from the menu. For drinks, we had the Highballs (I had the Plum Chu Hai), the Hitachino Red Rice Ale and the non-alcoholic Matcha Yuzu Amazake with torched Marshmallows. Our daughter ordered two orders of the A5 Wagyu Nigiri. At $30 for a pair of this succulent sushi, it was quite an indulgence, but boy, it did taste so good. Our other starters from the Yakitori menu were the Momo (chicken thigh), Uzura Tamago (quail eggs), Sunagimo (gizzard), Hatsu (chicken heart) and the must try Tsukune (chicken meatball with marinated egg yolk). The younger boys in the group picked Gyudon (Onsen egg topped beef rice bowl) while the rest of us shared the vegetable laden Sukiyaki Nabe. The presentation was splendid with the slices of wagyu separated from the udon and the onsen eggs. Being the Dad, I was the obligatory member to finish this hot pot entree as they were already full. I slurped the soup, vegetables and what was left of the beef with gusto. Sukiyaki craving satisfied. Drunken Monk is definitely an izakaya worth its notoriety. I'm seeing it more as a once a year visit, but the flavors from the binchotan grill and sukiyaki pot has me drooling for more. read more

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Great small Japanese Izakaya in downtown Menlo Park. Service was excellent and it was our first time here , we went for dinner on a Sunday night before going to watch a show at a music venue down the street. We ordered their corn fritters tempura, fried oysters, and sukiyaki which were all very good. Their house mocktails were also refreshing. We'll definitely be back. read more

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Been eyeing this spot ever since they opened and I'm so happy I got to finally try this gem. When you walk in, you're welcomed with a warm & cozy ambiance. The interior isn't that big but the food is what makes this restaurant busy almost always. The corn tempura was delicious, perfectly crispy and the right amount of corn. The sukiyaki was huge, the American wagyu option is delicious as well. In addition, we got udon on the side to enjoy the broth with. Overall, service is efficient, parking can be difficult but they do have some space in the back. The food is worth coming for & I hope to come again to explore more of the menu! read more

Drunken Monk - Corn Tempura - Izakaya Near Me - Menlo Park, California

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Excellent menu and presentation. Although we did not have a reservation we did not have to wait long. Great selection and timing wonderful proportions read more

The dining experience is exceptional, a culinary delight that will leave you uplifted and inspired. Taste and services so good! read more

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What a cozy and cute spot for delicious yakitori! It was super easy to make a reservation through Yelp, which I highly recommend since the restaurant is quite small and got packed fast. Parking can be a bit difficult since their lot is so small, but luckily we were able to snag a spot on the street. Our server was super thorough in explaining the menu since it was our first time visiting and also informed us that an experienced sushi chef was visiting for a short time so they had a special sushi menu. We decided to go with appetizers and a bunch of yakitori to share, as well as refreshing Asahi draft beers to wash everything down. The fried chicken skin (tori kawa) was perfectly crispy and all the yakitori was so good! The meat quality was amazing and my favorites were the negima, tsukune, and gyutan yakitoris. All yakitori came seasoned and also had extra flavor enhancers like lime, hot mustard, or numbing powder that we can add to the yakitori. I need to explore Menlo Park more and I'm glad this was one of the first spots I've discovered. I need to come back to try their sukiyaki set, which seemed to be their most popular since almost every table had ordered one. read more

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Food: 5/5 Service: 5/5 Price: 4/5 Atmosphere: 5/5 TL;DR: Such a cute, cozy, & delicious izakaya. The staff is incredibly nice -- we were a little late to our reservation but they were really accommodating & friendly and even gave us a call to check in with us. Waitress took the time to walkthrough their menu, daily specials, and their limited-time special sushi menu that's going on right now. We had such a pleasant experience and would def come back to try more items. Matcha Yuzu Mocktail (*3.5/5*): the matcha quality is really good but it feels like it drowned out the yuzu which I didn't really taste. The toasted marshmallows were a nice touch that gave it a little sweetness. Lol I wasn't a huge fan of the tiny ice cubes since with every sip, I kept getting ice chips in my mouth but that's just my personal preference haha Tori Kawa (*4/5*): this was delicious! the skin is crispy and seasoned well, like chips -- goes really well with the lime, togarashi, and honestly wasabi. Corn Kakiage (*5/5*): the tempura is really light, fluffy yet crispy, and the corn is sweet and goes really well with the seasoning -- one of our favorite dishes of the night Beef Tongue (*5/5*): has a nice char to it, it's tender yet has a nice chew to it; goes really well with the flaky salt they have on the side or wasabi Sunagimo [chicken gizzard] (*4/5*): really enjoyed the soy glaze they grilled it with, it has a nice bouncy chew but it felt a little overcooked; still delicious :) Kanpachi Nigiri (*4/5*): this was on the limited-time sushi menu. the amberjack has a nice bouncy bite to it yet was still melt in your mouth-y; but for the price, doesn't really feel worth it Mapo Tofu Omelet Don (*3.5/5*): the waiter recommended this don over the gyudon so gave it a try. personally thought the mapo tofu is alright and lacking a little flavor, but the omelet was absolutely delicious -- it's creamy, slightly sweet, and savory. my friend really liked this dish tho, he'd give it a 5/5 American Wagyu Sukiyaki Nabe (*5/5*): the star of the show. the broth was a perfect balance of sweet & savory and all the veggies inside soaked up the broth perfectly. The wagyu was so so good -- really marbled, fatty and buttery. When you dip it into the sauce & onsen egg, it takes it to a whole nother level. It's def pricey but it's honestly so worth it to try it at least once. read more

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