Makati Central Square: Heaven for Japanese Feast
Makati Central Square is one of the oldest and pioneer malls in the city of Makati, it is also a place for a Japanese food adventure. You can explore numerous restaurants that offer different authentic Japanese cuisines such as Manmaru, Yakiniku, Akitaya, and more.
Kenshin Japanese Izakaya Restaurant
Izakaya Kenshin Takiniku Nabe/IMAGE by Philippine Primer
Kenshin/IMAGE by Philippine Primer
It is a popular Japanese restaurant that serves a quality yet affordable menu. You can try their Wagyu Takiniku Nabe (Php2,899) with Omi beef that is good for 3 to 4 pax, and it’s limited to this branch. It is a specialty dish of Hakata made of cabbage, green onions, and thin meat placed in a donut-shaped pot. The center of the pot is filled with beef tail soup. You can also order a more affordable US Takiniku Nabe (Php769) that uses US Beef (this one is available at all the branches).
Address: 1/F
Phone: 0917-535-1046
Business Hours: 11: 00 am – 9: 00 pm (Sun-Thu), 11:00 am – 11: 00 pm (Fri to Sat)
Facebook: kenshinmakatisquare
Card: Accepted
Cashless payment: Accepted
Smoking: Non-smoking
Yakiniku Kenshin
Yakiniku Kenshin/IMAGE by Philippine Primer
Yakiniku is an affordable yakiniku restaurant that opened last January 2019. They offer a wide range of delicious, yet affordable Japanese dishes. They also have a sauce bar where you can pick your own sauce in a combination of the meat you want.
Address: 1/F
Phone: 0917-103-5727
Business Hours: 11:00 am – 4:00 pm
Facebook: yakinikukenshin
Card: Unavailable
Cashless payment: Accepted
Smoking: Non-smoking
Unakichi
Unakichi/IMAGE by Philippine Primer
If you’re looking for a restaurant specializing in eel dishes in Makati, Unakichi is the place to go to. They serve authentic, yet affordable eel dishes such as Unadon (Php590), Unajyu Jo (Php980), and Unajyu Gokujo (Pph1,580). Other menus are equally delicious and they have a wide variety of Japanese dishes including tempura.
Address: 1/F
Phone: 02-7728-2072
Business Hours: 11: 00-2:00 pm /5:00 pm – 8: 30 pm
Facebook: UNAKICHIMAKATI
Website: unakichimakati.wixsite.com/
Card: Accepted
Cashless payment: Accepted
Smoking: Non-smoking
Sakura Yakiniku
Sakura Yakiniku/IMAGE by Philippine Primer
Opened in September 2020, Sakura Yakiniku uses US and Japanese beef in their dishes. There are a plethora of affordable Japanese staples to enjoy aside from yakiniku. Prices start around Php300.
Address: G14
Phone: 02-8844-4427
Business Hours: 11:00 am – 1:30 pm / 4:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Card: Accepted
Cashless payment: Unavailable
Smoking: Non-smoking
Japanese Izakaya Restaurant Manmaru
Manmaru/IMAGE by Philippine Primer
Manmaru offers more than 200 kinds of dishes with the concept of stop, eat, and drink quickly! It has an izakaya area and a VIP area and boasts a spacious interior with a total of 170 seats.
Address: 1/F
Phone: 02-8254-3170／0917-624-9988
Business Hours: 11:00 am – 11:00 pm
Facebook: Manmaru Japanese Restaurant-Philippines
Website: www.eat-factory.com
Card: Accepted
Cashless payment: Unavailable
Smoking: Non-smoking
Akitaya Japanese Restaurant
Akitaya/IMAGE by Philippine Primer
Akitaya Kirintanpo Nabe/IMAGE by Philippine Primer
This establishment in Mile Long offers Akita staples to its customers. Kiritanpo Nabe, a hotpot originally from Akita made with chicken and vegetables, is highly recommended. Karashina Chirashi Maki(Php 550), a maki rolled with mustard greens instead of nori, is also worth trying.
Address: Mezzanine 1
Phone: 02-8247-1591
Business Hours: 11:00 am- 2:00 pm / 5:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Facebook: akitaya18
Card: Accepted
Cashless payment: Accepted
Smoking: Designated smoking available
Manpuku Steakhouse
Manpuku Steakhouse/IMAGE by Philippine Primer
Manpuku Special/IMAGE by Philippine Primer
Manpuku Steakhouse serves delicious Angus beef and Japanese beef steak. They serve their dishes on a hot iron plate make it sizzle and more appetizing. They also sell meat.
Address: LG Floor
Phone: 0929-247-2934
Business Hours: 11:00 am – 8:00 pm
Facebook: Manpuku Steakhouse and Japanese restaurant
Card: Accepted
Cashless payment: Accepted
Smoking: Non-smoking
Ikigai/Wabisabi
Ikigai’s shaved ice cream/MAGE by Philippine Primer
Ikigai, a dessert shop, and Wabi-Sabi a noodle house are sister companies sharing the same restaurant space. The store serves shaved ice topped with fresh fruits and homemade syrup, and there are about 13 flavors to choose from. On the other hand, Wabi-Sabi is a vegetarian ramen shop that specialized in Japanese ramen and Vietnamese pho.
Address: UG-4
Phone: 0949-993-4240
Business Hours: 11:00 am – 7:00 pm
Facebook: wabisabi.makati
Website: wabisabi-ikigai.com/
Card: Unavailable
Cashless payment: Accepted
Smoking: Non-smoking
This first appeared in Philippine Primer’s English and Japanese Magazines February 2021 issue
