Manpuku Japanese BBQ Dining - West LA

What an experience!We happened to do a brief getaway out of San Diego.Since we're staying in Marina Del Rey, I searched for some Korean BBQ spots to have dinner at on a Monday evening. And within the general area, those spots were closed on Mondays.I kept options open and found Manpuku Japanese BBQ not too far from our hotel.I quickly made our reservations via a phone call. We were debating on the pre fixed menus- but, decided on the Yakiniku a la carte options instead.Before I continue- our reservation was set for 6:30pm. Hubby & I arrived at 6:10pm. This was our first Japanese BBQ experience. We had another in our party that was trekking thru LA traffic to meet us & it was a bit chilly outside. Although (limited) alcohol is served, it is intimate seating inside. There is no bar area or outdoor benches to wait.We inquired with the host and asked if we got immediately seated- does our time start? Like, at KBBQ restaurants.He said no, and sat us at our table. He assured us we could take our time til our friend arrived.And LA traffic being what it is- our friend came by 6:50.By then, we had some non alcoholic beverages, edamame & fresh sweet corn nibbles delivered.Just slowly getting our table's orders rolling in.We noshed on 3 sizzling garlic fried rice bowls ($10/ each). Along with the assorted mushrooms (shiitake, chanterelles, maitake, & brown beech to name a few).Our protein orders ranged from Kobe Chuck Flap, Angus Tri tip, Prime short rib, pork belly (one order w/ the lettuce wraps- kimchi inside), & another order of pork belly w/o the lettuce wraps.I also ordered the Manpuku salad (mixed greens, cucumber slivers, & sesame oil).Staff always checked on us, allowed us to enjoy another's company w/o rushing us in any way.And I had to get a scoop of green tea ice cream, just because.With some of the mixed reviews mentioning how over priced and over rated Manpuku is. I don't understand the gripe. Prices are current on the menu. The quality of meat is superb.I definitely would come back when in town.And for 3 of us that were hangry as heck- our bill was $180 w/o tip. And we were truly satisfied with the whole experience!

We hadn't been to Manpuku since precovid, and came with our son last week. The food was really good, better than we remembered. We got the beef tartar which was delicious. You get it topped with an egg yolk, and when you mix it in it's rich and unctious. We also got some of the beef tongue and short ribs, garlic fried rice and garlic noodles. The garlic noodles were a little too salty, but everything was very good

My friend and I went to eat here. We picked one of the prix fixe meals which was good. The reason for the 4 stars is I wish there would have been more airflow and it would be nice to get more than 4 pieces of vegetables. Other than that making a reservation was easy and the service was excellent. Looking forward to trying the other locations. Also depending on the size of the group we had a table of 4 split with a divider which made it seem more private and did not mind it.

My favourite place. it can be crowded after 2, 3ish so make sure you make a reservation. I like how they are open for lunch on weekend.I love all their salad.

Pretty good food and portion. Service is nice. Price is well priced (pre fixe). Its not that loud.

** Customer Beware** SCAMS on the suggested tips! The math ain't mathin' - make sure to double check!Overall for a tasting menu, you are better off at a classy AYCE such as Chubby Cattle. While the meats were tasty, there were many areas that fell short. The only thing that fell long was the unexplainable tip amounts!- - - - - -I've always wanted to try Manpuku, and I'm glad that I had the opportunity to (finally) experience it. My friend and I had their American Wagyu tasting (~ $100) which came with kimchi, shishito pepper, salad, shrimp, and scallop as the main appetizers. This was quickly followed with their kobe filet, short rib, ribeeye, and outside skirt (6 pcs each), spicy beef soup, garlic fried rice, and ice cream.The shishito peppers were yummy and lightly flavored, and the garlic fried rice were also a pleasant surprise since they weren't too aggressive with the roasted peanuts. The spicy beef soup was also tasty, with a variety of tofu, green onion, and bean sprouts - a variety of textures for the adventurous. However, one thing that stood out was that the soup was served lukewarm, almost as if it had been sitting around for a while.All of the proteins were delicious, and the grills were changed regularly. The staff were present, but despite the cost it felt very money-grabby. Rice cost extra, and there was no rice paper or refills on any of the sides. We ended with a sweet lychee ice cream, but their suggested tips were astronomical, almost feeling like a scam. Our subtotal was $87 for a total of $97.45. Doing the math... how is 18% $32? The math really ain't mathin'.

Food 5/5: meat is very tender and juicy. Almost melts in your mouth. Portion isn't large but very worth your money. If you sit outside it's charcoal so it's way better.Service 5/5: explains all the menu items well and even gives recommendations that aren't too expensive.Ambiance 5/5: good for hangouts with friends and dates. I will definitely be coming back again!

Stopped here late last Thursday night. We went with the prix fixe that includes:PRIME BEEF TASTING69 / per person (2 persons minimum)-Assorted Kimchi, Bean Sprouts Namul, Cabbage Salad-Tokyo Style Prime Short Rib Prime Ribeye, Prime Hanger Steak, Prime Outside Skirt, Angus Tri Tip, Shrimp-Spicy Beef Soup, Garlic Fried Rice-Ice CreamI really did enjoy everything we had! Although it is good, it's hard for me to justify the prices. Also, even though it's always difficult to park on Sawtelle, this place does let you park in their lot and I've never had an is

Wow, this is fantastic. Clean place with excellent table bbq dining. The food was superb, and filling. Each cuts of meat we ordered were incredibly tasty, and the restaurant provides you with just the right sauces for the meal. It's a perfect place for Japanese bbq if you're in the area.

This is one of my favorite spots in LA for BBQ! The meat is perfectly marinated and cooks to perfection. My top picks are the Kobe short rib and the Kobe skirt--both are amazing!