I was staying in BGC and needed a quick meal within walking distance of my hotel. I always love some katsu so I decided to check out Saboten. It's only a short walk from either Market Market and High Street. There were plenty of tables available and I was seated really quickly! The servers throughout my experience were really friendly and attentive as well. I ordered a medium pork tenderloin and green tea ice cream! All the entrees come with unlimited refills of rice and miso soup which I thought was a great option! You grind the sesame seeds and refill your own katsu sauce. The tenderloin was perfectly breaded and crispy! The katsu sauce was a little sweat and savory in an amazing way, I couldn't have enough of it! I was on the hungrier side so I probably should have ordered a large, but a medium should work for most people. The green tea ice cream was also so delicious and a great way to finish off my meal! read more

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Everything went well! The thinly sliced cabbage (unlimited) with the dressing was perfect! The pickled radish and cucumber were refreshing! The fried oyster (from Hiroshima) was fresh, huge and satisfying! The katsu I ordered was the mix-set of shrimp, loin, and croquette. They are all juicy tender inside and crispy on the outside! And the tuna katsu was nothing less than heavenly! Service was great and ambiance was just perfect! Super satisfied and will keep on coming! read more

Love the unlimited shredded cabbage, radish,pickles and rice. Came here to dine after the restaurant of my choice had no seats. I was seated promptly and menu was laid down n the table. I ordered their classic tenderloin set which was hot and juicy, tender to the bite. Although it was a busy lunch service, my bowl of salad was refilled every time they made the rounds. Glasses of tea were refilled as well. Great to come for lunch. Solid choice and menu selections. read more

Saboten - Japanese Near Me - Taguig, NCR

Food is good! But with a Yabu located so nearby this place doesn't live up to its competition. Yabu is cheaper and tastes better. The only time I go here is when Yabu is full or I'm too lazy to walk to Yabu. So in those cases this is a great alternative for some katsu or katsu don. Still a great place don't get me wrong just the price and what you pay for isn't the same as Yabu and the environment feels different. Service was also mediocre in comparison to Yabu. Everytime I eat at Yabu I'm greated with a smile even if it's a long wait. The manager always introduced them self. Now Everytime I go here to saboten I tend to compare it to Yabu. read more

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Saboten! looking for a katsu place? this is one of the best katsu places in town. kinda pricey but you'll get what you paid for. Food Recommendation: any of their katsu meal plus the melon yakult shake read more

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"What's the difference between the Loin set and the Tenderloin set," I asked the waiter. "Sir, the Tenderloin is all lean meat. The Loin has a layer of fat on the side," he answered. "So which would it be?" "Loin." Okay, so I took the unhealthy option. Good thing each set comes with unlimited cabbage salad and soy-mayo dressing, which I always end up unintentionally abusing. Truth is, Saboten changed the way I see tonkatsu. Well, besides the fact that I had never imagined there to be so many ways to serve fried pork cutlet, there is also the ceremonious way we are suddenly encouraged to eat it. You know, how one has to grind the sesame seeds using a miniature mortar and pestle, stuff like that. In the past, my acquaintance of Japanese pork chop was mostly limited to the katsudon - which to me, albeit a rather delicious rice topping, was also essentially a fast food item. Now, I see it was time to get to know its wealthy cousins. read more

Saboten - Meet the katsudon's wealthy cousins. - Japanese Near Me - Taguig, NCR

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Food was very good, and ambience is very nice as well. Ordered the curry Katsu, fried oysters and fried shrimp. All was good. Beware the oysters and shrimp are large so count maybe 1 per person when ordering with a meal. The cabbage salad was heavenly. It was so light and thinly sliced. It was very well complimented by both dressings the citrus soy and the sesame. I got adventurous and mixed a little bit of both and it was fantastic. read more

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Newest addition to fill Katsu cravings. Ambience is really nice. For a restaurant mid of Serendra, I am surprised this place isn't too packed for dinner on a weekend. Kinda pricey, but definitely worth it for the quality of the food. Good ambience but service could be better. Overall, good. read more

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Solid katsu restaurant. They have a good selection of different kinds of katsu. As with most katsu places now, the rice and Miso soup are bottomless. The pickled veggies here are not quite as good. Too thick. Overall Yabu is nearby SM Aura is still the best Katsu in the area, but Saboten is satisfying as well. read more

There was one time when I'd jokingly claim that I was on an all-fried diet. I thought it was a joke when I would tell people, and of course they would too, but when I really think about it now, I think I unconsciously meant it. Saboten has been part of my regular restaurant rotation for a long time now. I haven't yet gotten over the fad of katsu restaurants, and Saboten has always been approved by my "fried diet" manual. I love Saboten in particular because aside from the usual unlimited soup salad and rice, their addition of unlimited pickled cucumbers is what gets me going. Unlike in other katsu restaurants where I stick with the regular loin or tenderloin, my order of choice in Saboten will always be the mixed-set. I've been loyal to it ever since I realized it was like an all-star serving; tenderloin, shrimp, and a slice of heaven (AKA the crab cream croquette). How could I go wrong? read more

Japanese restaurants will never be out of my list every time I want to eat outside. It was Friday and I'm really stressed out with work so I decided to give myself a break and feed myself with comfort food. I decided to check out this place because it is the nearest one from the office. I was on a no-pork diet by that time and ordered chicken yakiniku with rice and my forever-staple order--Salmon sashimi. The good thing about their interiors is that it offers natural light on daytime since they have big glass windows, one of the factors that I consider when I eat outside. Weird but it relaxes me and gives me good vibes. This place is definitely worth you money! read more

There have been a lot of katsu places that have been popping up in Manila as of late, but in my honest opinion, I have to admit that Saboten is my favorite one. Of course we all go to these places for the star dish, the katsu, and if you're like me you've been searching for the very best one! I believe that Saboten has the best katsu set in town because of 3 reasons. One, pretty much everything is unlimited. Other than katsu itself, you can have seconds, thirds, fourths even of ALL the sides! You want that 3 bowl of rice? Go for it! You liked the salad? Have some more! Miso soup is your favorite? Drink to your heart's content! It is impossible to leave this place without a full belly. Two, their katsu sauce is a little different. I find it to be a bit thicker than other places, and as far as taste, it is a bit sweeter. Which gets plus points in my book. Lastly, let's talk about the tender tasty katsu. I personally like my katsu to have a little fat on it to enhance the flavor. But what makes this katsu stand out above all others is its breading. The coating is the crunchiest I've had, and I find the crumbs flakey, which I like. read more

I don't know what could be better than Saboten. Everything's practically unlimited, and you could choose the size of your katsu, of which had more types you could choose from than other katsu shops! The place was well lit, and had a very cozy ambiance. When we arrived, we had to wait for a little while before getting seated, but as soon as we did and gave our orders we were hooked. I loved how the servers immediately fill up your empty plates with the refillables as soon as you run out. It's like they have a sixth sense. Haha. The katsu was so good and tender too. The flavors were just great, and my belly was definitely satisfied. Prices though are... Well, it's at Serendra afterall. read more

I was in Manila for work and my colleague kept raving about the katsu here that I had to try it. The chicken katsu was perfect in every way. It was so good I ate there twice in my visit! read more

WOW! What a dump! Its ridiculously hot in here! I asked to turn the air on, but they said it just gets hot in here. So if you want to go here, make sure its not crowded. Its fricken July in the Philippines! So trying to enjoy a meal in this heat is unbearable and not a fun experience. I mean, at least get a fan! read more

I am very picky when it comes to fried food. It seems to be a not so complicated type of cooking so when restaurants do not meet my standards I don't usually go back to them. Sad to say this but I am not a fan of Saboten. I am quite disappointed with the way they fry katsu. I once ordered the plain basic one and because I didn't like it I didn't finish it. I guess it's not just the breading, it's the meat itself. I also don't understand why there's always a long line outside the restaurant. I noticed that it wasn't only me who was not satisfied with my order. Even my friends did not finish their orders. Not only is it pricey, it isn't value for money. I do not recommend you dine here because I'm sure you'll get disappointed like me. Some people like it here others don't. So I guess it really depends on the person. read more

Another brainchild of the Raintree Restaurants, Saboten is a Japanese restaurant which started in Shinjuku, Tokyo in 1966. And in typical Manila fashion, even food goes through trends and crazes. From cronuts to ramen, to cookie shots, we have to admit that we Filipinos love riding food trends. Since the katsu craze started, restaurants claiming to serve "the best" katsu started popping up left and right. My experiences eating in Saboten has always been pleasant as I am greeted by polite and well trained staff. Their servers in their branch by Glorietta and Serendra are always keen to serve you. It starts with the cabbage salad and all of the other pickled vegetables that add to the flavor profile of the fried meat. Although seemingly heavy, the katsu is always lightly breaded, never soaked in oil and is always a pleasant meal to have. Because I am one of those greedy eaters that like to taste more than one item, their combination sets are good value. Although judging between Saboten and the other katsu competitors is almost impossible as each place has its winning points, I often find myself frequenting Saboten for a meal which I know will always be good. read more

Saboten - Japanese Near Me - Taguig, NCR

The best tonkatsu the best ebi tempura the best service people are so hospitable respectful and accommodating. It's the real Japanese efficiency in service and food. People are so efficient. read more