My husband and I decided to try Manpuku after watching a show at Costa Mesa-- and it was AMAZING!!! First, all the servers were so attentive and thoughtful. They explained each item on the menu and made stellar recommendations. We tired one of their sets, and have 0 regrets. The food was amazing! The quality of the meat and the flavor of each item was 10/10. We'll be back very soon :)

Came here on a Tuesday night for a date right at the 5 pm opening, aiming to beat the dinner rush! The restaurant was empty initially, but it quickly started filling up as the hour went by. The staff greeted us warmly, and the servers were exceptionally friendly. We decided to go for the American Wagyu Tasting, and it was such a fantastic choice. The outside skirt and the shrimp stood out as my favorites--not overpowering, but the flavors were definitely there. For our tasting experience, the seafood came out first, followed by the ribeye, and then the rest of the meats. We started with the Manpuku salad, which was delicious with its sesame oil dressing. The shishito peppers were some of the best I've ever had, and the assorted kimchi added a nice touch. Later, the garlic fried rice arrived, which, while good, felt a bit strong for pairing with the tasting. I might be biased, but I prefer plain rice to keep the focus on the flavors of the meats. The soup came out afterward, and I felt the pacing of the dishes was spot on throughout the tasting. To end the meal, we were offered an upgrade on our mochi ice cream dessert, and we couldn't resist after spotting two of our favorite flavors on the menu--black sesame and sweet potato. We went for the black sesame pudding and sweet potato ice cream. The pudding was a win, though the sweet potato could have done without the creme brulee topping. It was a bit hard to scoop out, as the ice cream was pre-scooped into the ramekin and frozen, but still a unique flavor to end on. Overall, Manpuku is a lovely spot, perfect for date nights, business meetings, or family dinners. I wish we could have tried more on the menu, but we had a fantastic meal for two.

This was my first time dining at Manpuku and I had a wonderful experience. It was easy to make a reservation online for 6 PM for a party of 5 on Monday, however it was Veteran's Day. It wasn't too busy, but got busier as the night went on. Our table was already set up so we were quickly seated. We weren't too familiar with what to order, but we ended up getting 2 order of the prix fixe prime tasting, as well as uni and Kobe beef sashimi, corn, and cold noodles. There was one more item we got but I can't remember what it was. I really enjoyed the meat quality. I was surprised by how chewy the cold noodles were - I was a big fan of this. We were dining with 2 toddlers and they enjoyed the meat as well as the garlic fried rice, corn, and cold noodles. Plastic plates, utensils, and cups were provided for them to use. Service was pretty fast and they took initiative on clearing things and providing the plastic items when they saw the 2 kids. I enjoyed the ambiance since it wasn't too dark in there, but could be a great place to chat and eat with friends, or for a date night. I saw that there were big tables set up for maybe 10+ people. Overall, this was a great dining experience and I definitely would come back with friends or for a date night!

This place has become our go-to Japanese BBQ because there's really nothing else of that quality within a 40-minute drive. The service is attentive and friendly; some staff members are more experienced and have a great vibe, while others come off a bit stiff. However, the portions are getting smaller, the cuts are thinner, and they've removed the charcoal. When I asked about the missing charcoal, they acted like they'd never used it before. The drinks are great, and the Kobe beef, pork cheek, soup, salad, and dessert are all delicious. I'm not a fan of their prime and Angus beef or synature beef, though. Fortunately, they've managed to maintain the quality of the food. Parking can be a bit tricky; it's small and often full, making it hard to find a spot on weekends. I wanted to try their Kagoshima ribeye and those $68 cuts of high-quality beef, but they were already out of stock when the restaurant just opened. Regardless, I still really like this place.

Japanese yakiniku!! We got two tasting set courses for four people. It consisted of small dishes (kimchi, bean sprouts, salad, fried rice, spicy beef soup) and bbq meat (Tokyo style prime short rib, prime ribeye, prime hanger steak, prime outside skirt, angus tri tip, and shrimp). Everything was so good! We also ordered some wagyu beef tongue ala carte. It was so soft.... it literally melted in my mouth. The tasting set also came with a dessert of choice and we were also celebrating a birthday so they decorated it and gave us a candle! So cute!! The atmosphere is intimate and fancy. Lighting is dim too. Service is impeccable! They really make you feel like royalty!! I love coming here for special occasions because they can never do wrong 10/10

I've dined at Manpuku several times, but it had been a while since my last visit. This time, we had reservations for a large party and were seated promptly--an encouraging start. Sadly, that was where the attentive service seemed to stop. We ordered a fantastic spread of meats, vegetables, and rice dishes, each one exceptional and leaving us eager for more. Yet, flagging down our server proved to be a challenge. That said, I love the a la carte menu--perfect for those of us who prefer quality over the pressure of an AYCE experience.

If this place is on your list to try, please make a reservation. It was my first time going here with friends, so I did not know better. We were told the wait time on a weeknight was going to be 1 hour and 45 min. because of no reservations. My friends and I got lucky that we only ended up having to wait for an hour, but I highly recommend having a reservation if possible. This experience is definitely one of those, once in a blue moon occasion to try luxurious, quality food. The quality of meats is perfect and presentation is lovely. Each dish of meat was high quality and melt-in-your-mouth kind of amazing. Of course, prices here reflect the quality of the meat. Be prepared when you see a dish with only four thin slices of meats for example, so please keep that in mind when you're here or anticipating to try this. Garlic rice, shrimp, and the soup that came with our order were all stellar dishes. We were impressed. Our servers and the hostess were all attentive, friendly, and professional. Some of our dishes did take long to come out, but I believe it's because they are busy, despite the hour and time of day it seems, since my friends and I went on a weekday night. The interior is very clean and well-kept. It can get loud inside, depending on the crowds. Parking can be absolutely a pain in the butt, so if possible, please carpool, since the parking lot is so small and shared with other businesses.

One of my favorite Japanese bbq spots!! Quality of meats and service here is phenomenal. The staff are knowledgeable and attentive, and our server was always checking in on us which was great. Would definitely recommend making a reservation in advance on open table! Forgot to make a reservation on a weekend so it was about a 1 hr wait for party of 2, but just ran errands to pass the time :)

We selected: AMERICAN WAGYU TASTING 89 / per person (2 persons minimum) APPETIZER Assorted Kimchi Shishito Pepper SALAD Manpuku Salad BBQ Kobe Fillet Kobe Short Rib Kobe Ribeye Kobe Outside Skirt Shrimp Scallop SOUP Spicy Beef Soup RICE Garlic Fried Rice DESSERT Ice Cream * if you get hot green tea it's $3 and if you want ice it's additional $1.50, we also purchased beef tartare for $14.00. Parking here is a little tight also, so plan accordingly during peak hours.

This place has become my favorite Japanese BBQ place in OC!! I made a reservation online for 2 and was seated right away upon arrival. My friend and I knew we wanted to try the prime beef combo since it came with a little bit of everything, and looked like a good amount of food for $70 per person. They started us off with the grilled shrimp, and the rest of the meats came following after. My friend and I really enjoyed the kimchi, bean sprout salad, and cabbage salad as it provided a nice palate cleanser whenever the meat got a little too heavy. You can really taste the quality of the meats, but be careful not to overcook the meats! The meats are cut pretty thinly so it doesn't take too long for them to get medium rare. We also enjoyed the spicy beef stew and charred garlic fried rice that came with the combo. After the ice cream, we were so full from the meal, you definitely get your moneys worth with the combo. The waiters were very kind and attentive, and the restaurant was very pleasantly decorated. I would return for special occasions as it is a little pricey to get on the regular!