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    Yabu

    4.5 (27 reviews)
    PriceyJapanese
    Open 10:00 am - 9:00 pm

    Yabu Photos

    YABU ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Loud
    Good for groups
    Outdoor seating
    Good for kids

    Recommended Reviews - Yabu

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    Reviews With Photos

    Hire Korobuta- PHP640
    Eleanor F.

    Food: good Katsu, light flaky crust that crumbles gently when you bite into it, yielding a soft tenderness that is in the middle. I had the premium rosu korobuta, premium hire korobuta, deluxe seafood mix which has a mix of salmon, oyster, prawn and cream dory. And I ordered a separate chicken katsu. Everything was pretty good! Ambience: casual eatery good for groups. We didn't have to queue and could easily get a table at 7pm on a Monday evening (considering it is a public holiday today) Service: attentive staff who constantly check on our table, refilling the water, rice, miso soup, cabbage without us having to ask Price: it was very reasonably priced for the quality of food, at least to me as a foreigner. I did noticed there were much cheaper restaurants around the area, so it may be relatively more expensive if you do make a comparison to those. I think it worth it to give this place a try, I enjoyed my meal here and left super full coz I over-ordered! Lol

    Manga wall!
    Carlo M.

    I've had my fair share of katsu and this is still the best local place, by far! The pork is perfectly cooked every single time! The unlimited rice and cabbage is a great bonus too! If you like japanese curry, you should definitely try theirs too! It's the closest I've had compared to the original in japan. Another bonus is that they come out with interesting, seasonal dishes every couple of months. As of the time of this writing, the katsu and ebi burgers are new on their menu and definitely worth a try! Finally, to cap things off the staff is very prompt, professional and courteous! A family and personal favorite!

    Timmy P.

    This is the branch that started it all, and I maintain that the consistency of the katsu here is still the best. I used to scoff at the katsu trend, because in my mind, there wasn't really anything special about deep-fried breaded pork chops. This was before I tried eating tonkatsu dipped in Himalayan pink salt, or dipped in ponzu sauce, rather than the crushed sesame and Bulldog sauce combination that usually comes with the katsu served to you. I know it's a strange combination, but it's definitely worth a try. It certainly opened my mind and my taste buds, as well! If you don't like the pork chops, Yabu's deep-fried oysters are worth a try - if not a bit decadent. Their fish, both the dory and the salmon, are delicious, too. Also, who isn't a fan of their unlimited cabbage salad. They have a certain way of cutting the cabbage so that it's light and feathery and delicious. In fact, the way they cut it is a trade secret! Yabu is one of those places that has cemented themselves in my conscious when it comes to comfort food. It's the default location whenever my family decides to eat out, and we love it. I'll admit, I was skeptical before, but I have now seen the light and worship at the church of Yabu.

    Donkotsu chicken
    Margaret Grace C.

    The service was really nice and helpful. They had a nice atmosphere. You get free refill on your Rice, Fruits, Salad, and Miso soup.

    Standard portion of the Pork Katsu set.
    Michael M.

    Our favorite restaurant when we are in Manila. Unlimited salad and rice. Can't get good katsu in the US so we always make a trip to Yabu! Gets busy and have had to wait on line for awhile.

    Natie T.

    Twice in 2 days. Of course I had to discover this place during my last 2 days but that's okay...i know where i want to go when I come back. This place serves the yummiest katsu I've ever had. Crunchy in the outside, tender inside. Good portions as well. I love their prawns set. Menchu katsu set is also good. And of course Creamy dory set. This place is a must for Japanese food lovers...and not.

    Maiqui P.

    It's easy to claim that Yabu will always have the best Katsu for me. Never did I dine there feeling dissatisfied with the food and of course, their service. Their staff (no matter what branch) are always well-trained, teaching the newbies how to properly eat their Katsu, how to mix the sauces, etc. They are also very attentive whenever a customer needs something. I really love their Katsu sauce, especially with the sesame seed, it really gives the main dish a wonderful flavor. Their salad is also good, the dressing is very light and I think it is because the main dish is quite heavy to have already. I have tried other Katsu places but Yabu will always win because they keep it simple, focusing on how they cook their dishes instead of adding new things to embellish it with. I hope they keep up the good work so that I can have good Katsu for a long time.

    The aroma of the sesame seeds... Sooo good!

    Since its opening, Yabu: The House of Katsu has been creating a buzz in Metro Manila's dining scene. Its been getting good reviews from foodies wanting to have a taste of their specialty dishes prepared by their chefs who were trained by Chef Kazuya Takeda, the head of chef of Tonkatsu Takeshin, a popular tonkatsu restaurant in Tokyo. Our team were invited by Yabu to check out their in there branch in SM Megamall. It is located at the 2nd floor of the Atrium building where some restaurants are also located. It is our first time at Yabu. Good thing that their menu has visuals at how the dishes look like which makes ordering not that hard. I also love that it has photos on how to enjoy your katsu and how to prepare the katsu sauce. First you have to crush the black and white sesame seeds until most of the seeds are ground. The aroma brought by the ground sesame seeds are really appetizing and sets the mood for an awesome Katsu dining experience. Then you put tonkatsu sauce onto the ground sesame seeds! It's so awesome! Then you got to choose awesome Katsu Set Meals. Served with unlimited Japanese white rice or brown rice, miso soup, Japanese pickles, unlimited cabbage with sesame dressing or wasabi dressing and a bowl of fruit. This 3/4 inch thick, juicy premium HIRE (pork) cutlet with no fat is one of the best Katsu I've tasted. The pork is very soft and tasty indeed. Plus Tempura Katsu, Salmon Katsu and Oyster Katsu was the bomb if your a seafood fan. Overall, it was an extraordinary Katsu dining experience at Yabu: House of Katsu in Megamall. The food really taste good, the staff are awesome and the food serving is generous. I am truly delighted and happy that we tried Yabu! I'm giving it my 2 thumbs up and 5 stars!

    This experience never gets old!

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    4 years ago

    Consistency in quality is five stars. Great food! I always enjoy eating here and I get the sane quality of food everytime.

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    Review Highlights - Yabu

    As of the time of this writing, the katsu and ebi burgers are new on their menu and definitely worth a try!

    Mentioned in 15 reviews

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    Tanabe Japanese Restaurant - Front

    Tanabe Japanese Restaurant

    4.6(8 reviews)
    7.8 kmManila City
    ₱₱₱

    First time here. The food was amazing -- really tasty and vegan/vegetarian friendly. The best…read moreJapanese restaurant I've ever been to -- food was fresh, servings were big enough to share, and prices were fair. Staff were very friendly, attentive, and helpful, and the food came out quickly. Loved the unique and refreshing drinks too. Great job!

    I have been here multiple times before since this is one of my brother's go-to Japanese restaurant…read more I can definitely understand why with the quality food, good service and good price. This time the visit was with my parents, my brother, my husband and me. We were served with delicious complimentary tofu with a great-tasting sauce. My brother ordered the aji tataki for us to start off and it's been a while since I've had this. Beautifully done and very tasty! My brother got the chirashi bowl. My husband and I shared the Gindara kaku bento - grilled cod fish, salad, salmon and tuna sashimi, tempura, miso soup with clams and mango ice cream. For dessert, fruits was the other option. My brother also ordered several chawanmushi for us to share. My parents shared the Nigiri kaku bento. There was so much food. The one down side was the fish in my parents' bento box was a bit tough, unlike the gindara that we had. I would probably recommend the Gindara kaku bento between the 2 bento boxes. We also had this soup that came in a small teapot. I had missed jotting down the name but you drink the soup from a miniature teacup. Glad we didn't order more food because there was already lots of food! Highly recommend!

    Photos
    Tanabe Japanese Restaurant - Menu

    Menu

    Tanabe Japanese Restaurant - Special soup

    Special soup

    Tanabe Japanese Restaurant - Dining area

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    Dining area

    Mangetsu

    Mangetsu

    3.8(9 reviews)
    3.9 kmMakati City
    ₱₱₱

    This Japanese restaurant joins the big leagues such, as Seryna, Izakaya Kikufuji, Umu at Dusit, and…read moremany more. But your perception may vary, as my reviews are mostly from the southern region of Metro Manila. FOOD 5.0 Nama Uni Sashimi (420 PHP) Sea Urchin or sea hedgehogs are those spikey things that I always think about avoiding when going to the beach But, I love them on my plate, It is very sweet and delicate, and it tastes like the sea smells, with a soft, almost creamy texture. A 3-step process starts with a piece of Nori (seaweed wrap), then a slice of cucumber, a hefty plump of uni on top, close it off and surprise your mouth with a taste of the sea. Tofu Gratin (395 PHP) Shrimp flavoured white sauce that's smothered with cheese and lots of it. The gooey feels were just too strong and I couldn't but scrape the pan clean. Every spoonful is a renewed experience, so it doesn't get boring. Assorted Sushi (720 PHP) Their hot dishes overwhelmed our taste buds with clean flavours, which led us to unintentionally ignore this initially. Sushi pieces that are above average in size and offer a refreshing taste. Beef Sukiyaki Iron Hot Pot (530 PHP) Beef Sukiyaki that's filled with a rich broth flavoured by the tender smoked beef. This is a dish to remember and one of the items I will recall and recommend. Tonpei Yaki (430 PHP) A Japanese style Frittata topped with extremely thin slice pork that wiggles from displaced air around it. It looked alive upon my first glance. You'd be wrong to think that these paper thin slices of pork wont satisfy, because flavour is not in volumes, but in density. These melt in your mouth and just release flavour that you'd usually encounter in chunky portions of pork. I for one enjoyed less weight and more flavour. The frittata underneath is fairly standard. SERVICE 4.5 Waiters take pride in the food they serve, we were even prompted to taste the Tofu Gratin first as it's tastiest when hot. They're informative when guiding you through the menu and suggest based on your taste and not the most expensive like in other places. AMBIANCE 4.5 I love places that impress on ambiance and Mangetsu surely did. High ceilings and even a second floor for private functions, this place is well decorated and spacious. Air-conditioning is centralised, which means an evenly cooled environment.

    Interior aspect makes us feel high sense and quality, but actually foods served there are nothing…read morespecial. Maybe good for business purpose of use.

    Photos
    Mangetsu
    Mangetsu
    Mangetsu

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    Yabu - japanese - Updated May 2026

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