Manpuku

3.5 star rating
806 reviews Rating Details

Categories: Sushi Bars, Japanese  [Edit]

2977 College Ave
(between Ashby Ave & Webster St)
Berkeley, CA 94705
Neighborhoods: Elmwood, Claremont
(510) 848-2536
Hours:

Mon-Sat 11 am - 10 pm

Sun 11 am - 9 pm

Good for Kids:
Yes
Accepts Credit Cards:
Yes
Parking:
Street
Attire:
Casual
Good for Groups:
No
Price Range:
$
Takes Reservations:
No
Delivery:
No
Take-out:
Yes
Waiter Service:
No
Outdoor Seating:
No
Wi-Fi:
No
Good For:
Lunch, Dinner
Alcohol:
No
Noise Level:
Average
Ambience:
Casual
Has TV:
No
Caters:
No
Wheelchair Accessible:
Yes

Review Highlights   

  • user photo
    "the ramen was perfect and the soup was rich and smooth." In 347 reviews
  • user photo
    "They have free hot tea, which always hits the spot." In 13 reviews
  • user photo
    "The aloha roll with lemon is fantastic." In 16 reviews
Show more review highlights
  Loading...
Sort by: Yelp Sort | Date | Rating | Elites' | Facebook Friends'

806 reviews in English

  • Review from Alainah M.

    • 3 friends
    • 5 reviews

    Berkeley, CA

    5.0 star rating
    5/15/2012 1 Check-in Here

    This is my favorite restaurant in Berkeley. Their food is reasonably priced and very good. I almost always get the Tempura Don and CA Roll. I have tried other rolls of theirs also and have been pleased with them as well. I'm not a huge fan of their miso soup, but with all that other food, I never need it. :)

    I would say to come during off hours if you wanted to eat-in otherwise, I would say do take out. But call ahead if you do, because you'll still probably have to wait in line to pay, but at least you won't have to wait for your food too.

    I have taken several people here who have come to visit me in Berkeley and I highly recommend this place. Just go during off hours. ;)

  • Review from Mary L.

    • 17 friends
    • 18 reviews

    Oakland, CA

    4.0 star rating
    5/15/2012 1 Check-in Here

    I've been coming here throughout the last few years. The food is fresh and tasty. Service is very quick. Though i see the size of the sushi is getting smaller, but the price didn't change (another way of cut the cost).

    Over all, i always come to enjoy a little afternoon meal after done shopping around during a weekend. But if you come around normal meal time, prepare a long wait...

  • Review from Wendy M.

    • 88 friends
    • 112 reviews

    Oakland, CA

    4.0 star rating
    5/7/2012 6 Check-ins Here

    I LOVE ramen!

    I always get the Ramen combo with the gyoza and fried rice. Cheap AND filling AND yummy.

    You order and pay at the cashier, get a number and sit. The food comes out pretty promptly.

    You also  get free hot tea and, of course, water.

  • Review from Audrey G.

    • 16 friends
    • 10 reviews

    Berkeley, CA

    4.0 star rating
    5/15/2012

    I've only been here for sushi, but the sushi's good quality, and reasonably priced! (Special rolls for only $7, rather than the $10 most sushi places charge) The fish is fresh, and you can watch them make it behind the bar.
    The restaurant is pretty small, so seating is very limited. It can feel cramped, and expect to have to wait for seats when it's busy...

  • Review from Janet T.

    • 0 friends
    • 20 reviews

    Berkeley, CA

    4.0 star rating
    5/16/2012

    Ramen is flavorful--not too salty and not too bland. Ordered the Ramen combo B, came out to be $8.65 (plus tax and everything). Served with a California Roll which I took home because I was full from the large bowl of deliciousness.

    Friend ordered the number 1, Ashby sushi and I would highly recommend it. The flavor hits you at first bite.

    Affordable, filling and satisfying. They also sell snacks, which are displayed near the cashier. They have two tables for groups larger than 2 at the very back.

  • Review from Tristan T.

    • 14 friends
    • 9 reviews

    Berkeley, CA

    4.0 star rating
    5/4/2012

    Pretty darn good.

    I do come here quite often, because of the price. under $15 for decent Japanese food? I'll take it! The place is relatively close to where I live, so I often walk over. If I have the time though, I'd much rather be eating Geta (in Oakland).

    I usually get their Ramen Combo A. Try it out. Comes out to just over $11 with tax; Ramen, fried gyoza (dumpling), chahan (fried rice)... Fills me up, no question!

    Note:
    They generally get PACKED during weekend lunch/dinner time. $10+ for Credit/Debit charges. They accept take outs.

  • Review from Katherine P.

    • 0 friends
    • 7 reviews

    Berkeley, CA

    5.0 star rating
    5/14/2012

    Manpuku is terrific. The food is always very tasty, there are lots of vegetarian options (including great veggie yaki soba--yum!), and the prices are a super good deal.

    It's informal--you order at the counter. Then help yourself to some nice hot tea.

  • Review from Debbie L.

    • 24 friends
    • 32 reviews

    Berkeley, CA

    4.0 star rating
    4/24/2012

    3.5 stars for food quality (3) and price (4). Given that I gave Sushi Ko 4 stars for their food, this place can't get 4 as well...

    Manpuku has super cheap Japanese food.. the quality isn't the best nor is it the worst. It's $6 for a huge bowl of ramen, good flavor, but obviously not going to be as good as a place like Ryowa House. Their sushi is again decent quality but not the freshest or as aesthetically pleasing as other restaurants, but good enough with respect to its price. I also tried the deep fried california roll, don't understand the rave... but surprised at the price of all their maki around $3.

    I'd definitely come here again just for the price... food quality could be better but it's appropriate for its pricing. Come expecting a wait... I got here around 8pm on a Friday night and had to wait 20+ minutes to order and probably another 10-20 minutes to get my food. Love the location... went over to ici for some dessert.

  • Review from Greg M.

    Berkeley, CA

    3.0 star rating
    4/11/2012 1 Check-in Here

    The Honest Truth: The food isn't amazing Japanese food, but the price is pretty good.  I'm always a fan of being full and eating enough so I have no qualms getting okay Japanese food.  If you're looking for cheap, quick, japanese food, this is a good option in Berkeley.

    The Details:
    i'm usually not a huge fan of japanese food... not because of the taste or anything, but just because usually you don't get enough food and you have to pay a lot for it.  Manpuku is one of the cheaper places for Japanese food and I definitely appreciate it.  I've had the salmon avocado roll and it was good.  Nothing too special, but not bad either.  I've also had the chicken teriyaki bento.  The chicken was a little dry and kind of stringy.  I've definitely had better and would not recommend getting the chicken bento.  All in all, you pay for what you get (which I'm fine with) The food isn't amazing Japanese food.  But you'll get full without emptying your wallet and the service is fast.

  • Review from Nicole S.

    San Francisco, CA

    3.0 star rating
    3/27/2012 5 photos 1 Check-in Here

    Constantly craving noodles, I'm always finding new places to try.  Since my friend and I planned on heading to the gym in the East Bay, I searched for a place that would be close by.  Located in a quaint area I never knew about, is Manpuku, a cheap and affordable Japanese restaurant.

    WHAT TO KNOW:
    *They have rolls, ramen, stir fried noodles, udon noodles, donburi bowls, & bento boxes
    *Order upon walking in, get seated, and they'll walk around with your order screaming your order number
    *$10 minimum for credit cards
    *Seats about 25 people on 2 or 4 person tables or at the bar area
    *They also have a refrigerated area selling rolls, seaweed salad, and packaged mochi

    PRICING:
    Cheap and affordable - we opted for two of the ramen combos and an order of sushi:
    *Combo A ($9.95) - Miso or soy ramen and a side of gyoza and shrimp fried rice
    *Combo B (7.95) - Miso or soy ramen and side of California rolls (6 pieces)
    *Deep Fried California Rolls ($3.85 for 6 pieces)

    FOOD:
    *Ramen - While the noodles and toppings weren't bad, the broth was disappointing.  The spicy miso broth had barely any taste to it with only the spicy non-flavored kick giving my mouth indication that I wasn't just drinking water the ramen was boiled in.  The noodles weren't bad but a bit more like egg noodles.  The noodles were topped off with half a hardboiled egg, fish cake, bamboo shoots, deliciously tender and well flavored pork slices, bean sprouts, seaweed shreds, and fish cake.

    *Gyoza & Shrimp Fried Rice - Both came as a side with combo a.  The gyoza was good, but not pan fried enough to get one or the whole thing crispy.  The shrimp fried rice was basic containing shrimp, carrot, and possibly pieces of chopped up okra (?).  

    *Rolls - We only had a taste of the regular and deep fried California rolls.  Both were good.  I do recommend trying the deep fried California roll.  It was deep fried without drying out the roll and drizzled with what I think is the sweet unagi sauce.

    PARKING:
    Street parking which looks like it can be a bit tough to find during peak or weekend hours.

  • Review from Samuel C.

    • 69 friends
    • 87 reviews

    Berkeley, CA

    3.0 star rating
    4/16/2012

    Summary: Decent ramen, OK bentos, terrible sushi.

    Service/Decor: There aren't too many seats inside but usually you won't have trouble finding one. Servers are pretty nice and service is quick.

    Food: I've come here twice, and the first time I came here I got the chicken bento with a rainbow roll. The chicken bento wasn't bad, and it came with miso soup, salad, broccoli, and rice. There was a decent amount of chicken and it was tender. The rainbow roll was a total mess. Presentation was horrid. The fish did not look fresh and it almost seemed like they stuck the fish on after they'd already cut it. Really weird looking.

    My second trip, I got the pork ramen and it wasn't bad, but the broth just tasted like a mixture of soy sauce and fish stock. The ramen noodles were cooked well, exactly al dente. Props.

  • Review from Emily W.

    • 54 friends
    • 38 reviews

    Berkeley, CA

    2.0 star rating
    4/13/2012

    I don't see anything good about this place besides the price.

    I was really really craving for ramen and this was the most accessible at that moment.  Not sure if it was my cold, I couldn't taste ANYTHING from the miso ramen.  The only thing that had a taste was the cha-su, which was salty and only salty.  I even think they used instant ramen as "ramen".

    Sigh, can't expect too much :/

  • Review from Michael H.

    • 8 friends
    • 31 reviews

    El Cerrito, CA

    4.0 star rating
    4/14/2012

    Good quality sushi for hella cheap. If you ever feel like you want to deal with traffic and parking, this place will satisfy your sushi appetite without feeling the sushi price. The future wife and I almost always stop here, when she hears of a sale at near by Jeremy's which is maybe 3 storefronts down. the

    The cash register area/waiting/ordering/line up area is fairly small right at the entry, we've always just stood outside after our order is place, and it always takes at the most 8 minutes. Sushi is not blow your head off, but it's good. What can I say, it's a Japanese place that owned and run by Koreans.

  • Review from Marilen B.

    • 10 friends
    • 34 reviews

    Richmond, CA

    3.0 star rating
    4/11/2012

    It's a nice little place with good Japanese eats at an affordable price. But nothing is really spectacular nor is it that big a bargain. So the hype and the 5-star reviews people have given this place just kinda perplexes me.

    Things to Plan Around:
    1) Street parking is TERRIBLE in this neighborhood. Plan accordingly.
    2) The words TIGHT and CROWDED are understatements when describing the dining room. Keep your parties to 4 people at most.

  • Review from Jen L.

    Castro Valley, CA

    4.0 star rating
    3/18/2012

    This place seems a little out of place on College Ave. where most of the other restaurants are upscale and charge $15+ per entree. The interior is very unassuming and very cramped. But the fact that they are always crowded speaks to their popularity - both for the good food and reasonable prices.

    You order up front like most restaurants in the UC Berkeley area. There is a small waiting area, and I hope they develop some sort of system to know who is waiting for a table. This is their one drawback - it's so confusing that I've been cut several times while waiting.

    The ramen was good - definitely one of the best in the area. The pork broth is especially flavorful, and the bowl is very hearty - lots of noodles, meat, and add-ins. I'm also a big fan of their tekka rolls (fresh tuna) - SO CHEAP.

    This is a go-to place if you're craving a hearty bowl of ramen on a cold Berkeley day!

  • Review from D A.

    • 95 friends
    • 22 reviews

    Oakland, CA

    5.0 star rating
    4/3/2012

    I love Manpuku - delicious japanese food at super affordable pricing. This is where I go to get my craving for japanese food satisfied, especially since there's no guilt because it's such a buck saver.

    I also enjoy sitting in the bar so I can watch the cooks make the food. Granted, I think there is only 1 Japanese chef out of 4 or so cooks in the kitchen.

    I love this place!

  • Review from angela c.

    • 86 friends
    • 56 reviews

    Oakland, CA

    4.0 star rating
    3/15/2012

    Consistently good Ramen. WInter Miso Ramen (with Kim chi) is one of my favorites to order. There pork broth is also pretty good.

    Chirashi and sushi is pretty good as well. It's a "friend" kind of place as opposed to a "date" kind of place. It can get crowded, but it's worth the (usually short, if any) wait!

  • Review from Saya K.

    • 5 friends
    • 3 reviews

    Albany, CA

    4.0 star rating
    4/3/2012

    Honestly, it's not that bad.
    Considering the somewhat limited options for Japanese food in the area, I think this place is one of the quickest, decent places to go (not to mention that it's walkable distance from where I live, so it's very convenient - even for a post movie snack).
    I wouldn't say it's incredibly authentic, though.
    Decent, but... could do better.
    Reasonable pricing as well. Just don't like the wait for tables when it's crowded.
    I think it's a great spot to hit up for a quick Japanese food though, definitely.

  • Review from Nick B.

    San Francisco, CA

    5.0 star rating
    2/13/2012 3 photos 1 Check-in Here

    HANDS DOWN!!!! NO QUESTIONS ASKED!
    BEST SUSHI IN THE BAY AREA!!!! PRICES FOR THE QUALITY IS JUST UNREAL! The rolls are not stuffed with white rice and a milligram of fish like other inexpensive sushi bars.. Here the fish is fresh and a big portion in the roll!

    I went in today for lunch after several of my peeps recommended I'd go eat at Manpuku and my exactions were blown away with positive experience.

    Their prices are extremely affordable for the amazing quality of the fish.
    $2 AVOCADO MAKI! $3 PHILLY ROLLS!! $3 ROCK&ROLL SUSHI!
    I also ordered the shrimp fried rice which is second to none for only $3.50.... And the list goes on and on.
    I always have pros and cons for each place I visit and the overall experience I had here was only positive!

    They also offer hot tea, iced water, and several types of sauces on the house.

  • Review from Mickey C.

    • 199 friends
    • 13 reviews

    Emeryville, CA

    3.0 star rating
    3/10/2012

    Manpuku is one of my favorite ramen/sushi joints. I enjoy their ramen very much. They're tasty and they give pretty big portions.  Their sushi, however, isn't all too stellar. I felt like their fish weren't fresh or very tasty. Not unbearable, but not the best I've had either.

    I usually go for the ramen and get a little sushi roll on the side. The thing I love about this place is that their sushi and ramen bowls are pretty cheap compared to other places I've been, especially considering their huge portions.

  • Review from Nicole W.

    • 0 friends
    • 4 reviews

    Oakland, CA

    5.0 star rating
    5/8/2012

    Great for cheap sushi that tastes wonderful! Can be very busy at times, best to call in advance if your wanting take out!

  • Review from susan c.

    • 11 friends
    • 91 reviews

    Orinda, CA

    4.0 star rating
    2/20/2012

    For the quality and price, Manpuku is great!

    The fish was fresh and menu is diverse.  They have everything from ramen, sushi, sashimi, donburi, curry over rice, udon and soba noodles and so much more.  We had yummy rolls (Manpuku Roll, Poki Maki, Salmon Maki, Elmwood, Salmon Avocado Maki) and Poki Maki was my favorite.  Yummy spicy white tuna rolls!  I wish I had ordered 2 of these.  My husband really liked the Manupuki Roll with the eel and yellowtail.

    The shoyu ramen was just okay.  It had some bamboo shoots, hard boiled egg, green onions.  The broth was lacking in depth and flavor.

    Tempura was great.  Hot out of the fryer with just the perfect amount of batter!

    The casualness of the restaruant where you order at the register and wait for a table to open up is not ideal for me.  After receiving my first order and eating my food, if I wanted to order more food, do I have go back to the register and wait in that line again, order and pay?  The price can't be beat and it's not too far for me so I may come back.

    The girl at the register was nice and very helpful.  The guy that was helping us find a table was helpful too.

    Remember that it's a small place with three 4 tops.  They probably can't accommodate a group larger than 5.

    No beer or other alcohol drinks served here.

  • Review from Justin C.

    • 31 friends
    • 10 reviews

    Berkeley, CA

    4.0 star rating
    4/17/2012

    Manpuku is a nice cheap place to get a quick sushi snack. I prefer the ramen though every time I go. Their unlimited refills of warm tea is great on really cold and raining days in Berkeley.

  • Review from Joyce K.

    • 1 friend
    • 8 reviews

    Berkeley, CA

    5.0 star rating
    4/17/2012

    Awesome cheap sushi! There's always a crowd and if you come with 3+ group, it'll be challenging to find a table.

    That said, I come here every Friday (I'm not kidding either!) and get my sushi fix here. It's a Korean-owned sushi joint so I love that they added sesame seed oil in the spicy tuna roll! Just adds a nice umami flavor~.

    My biggest beef w/this place isn't the actual restaurant, but how there'll be HOARDS of Cal students, which again is fine, but they come in these massive groups and pay for their order individually. This drives me nuts and makes the wait that much longer. Just have one person order and everyone pay that person holy crap!

    In short, this place doesn't have the finest sushi but it's cheap and the quality for your buck is good.

  • Review from Erica A.

    • 231 friends
    • 195 reviews

    San Francisco, CA

    1.0 star rating
    1/2/2012

    Tried to come here last night, nobody bothered explaining to us that we were supposed to order first. The waitress looked at us about 4 times, and by the time EVERY OTHER PERSON had ordered, we went up to the counter, and she muttered something and walked away.

    LOL FUCK YOU TOO

  • Review from Judy W.

    • 20 friends
    • 52 reviews

    CA

    4.0 star rating
    2/18/2012 6 Check-ins Here

    Pretty good for cheap sushi! Unfortunately, I am no longer a student and am now a working professional (living in a town of many students), but I still enjoy a good deal. Japanese food is usually a bit pricey for the penny-pinching patrons, but Manpuku delivers decent sushi for excellent prices.

    I'm not a big fan of their ramen, being from the South Bay where it's basically ramen heaven (sort of), but they're decent and you can get a nice combo deal paired with some California rolls or something.

    Rolls are the way to go. You've got to order before sitting down, so order up, pour yourself a hot cup of tea, devour when your order comes, and you're good to go. I've been back multiple times even though parking kind of sucks, but it's worth it if you're looking for cheap Japanese food!

  • Review from Hiep C.

    • 0 friends
    • 10 reviews

    San Diego, CA

    2.0 star rating
    4/14/2012

    It is cheap sushi, but you can obviously tell that you are paying for cheap sushi.  Your order will not be filled in the order that they were taken. People that weren't even seated were getting their orders before us. We waited 30mnts for our one plate of sushi. Not worth the effort if you have to drive here. Parking is impossible!

  • Review from Monica S.

    Berkeley, CA

    3.0 star rating
    12/20/2011

    So, Manpuku. Freshest fish? Not really. Most diverse menu? Meh. Service? Like a dorm cafeteria. Sustainable sourcing? Pfft, unlikely - I mean, how else do they keep sushi that cheap?

    But Manpuku has a couple things going for it: their service is lightening-fast, dirt-cheap, and given that, totally satisfying. Usually we opt for nicer sit-down sushi restaurants, but if the sushi craving hits and we're in a rush, this is our best bet for quick take-out sushi that doesn't taste like it's from the corner store deli.

  • Review from Tammy T.

    Claremont, CA

    4.0 star rating
    3/15/2012 2 photos

    Rolls here taste decent and are super cheap. The raw fish looks fresh and I've yet to have any weird stomach problems. The people who work here are super nice, especially this one woman who was pretty much all smiles! I also like that they have FREE tea! Seating is very limited so you probably will have to hover for a bit. I got the salmon and avocado maki ($2.95) along with the Rock 'n Roll (eel and avocado for $3.xx). Two rolls for less than $7 is a sweet deal in my books. The eel had a thin sort of weird texture and they don't put a lot of sauce but the avocado was nice. The salmon was your typical (it's not really supposed to taste like much anyway). Overall, they are a lot like Tako sushi except some rolls might be slightly cheaper. I do prefer the combinations and greater sense of variety at Tako, though. Poor college students (and other frugal people) come here! (3.5/4)

  • Review from Erin S.

    • 0 friends
    • 4 reviews

    Berkeley, CA

    5.0 star rating
    2/22/2012

    I don't even know how to explain why I love this restaurant so much but I do, I really really do.

    To me it is the dream sushi place, absolutely delicious, affordable and fast.  I love coming here, love love love.  The rolls are always fresh and so good and you get free tea!

    It is such a small restaurant but for some reason that doesn't bother me.  Even if you are a little cramped you will find somewhere to sit and it's worth it because the prices are so reasonable.

    Every time I've gone there I've been so overwhelmed by the awesomeness of the sushi that I couldn't bring myself to order the soup even though it also looked really good but I finally did order the Udon Curry Broth soup and it was so good I wanted to marry it!  

    Seriously if you love sushi rolls and aren't a millionaire and don't mind small spaces, this is the place for you.  Part of me doesn't even want to write this review because I don't want it to get any busier!

  • Review from Tina D.

    • 0 friends
    • 11 reviews

    Pleasanton, CA

    3.0 star rating
    5/3/2012

    2.5 stars. You get what you pay for here. The udon is a bit of an atrocity. There is spinach in it and I didn't care for the hard boiled egg either. The seaweed salad is acceptable. The rolls are really cheap, but the flavor is not that good and the wasabi has almost no flavor.

  • Review from Greg H.

    San Jose, CA

    4.0 star rating
    1/4/2012 1 Check-in Here

    This place is pretty awesome... hands down the best sushi restaurant that I've been to that has low prices for decent tasting sushi. The seating availability is horrible in proportion to how many people are served everyday; I rolled up with 7 of my friends and when we asked if there was a table available for 8, the hostess went wide-eye and responded, "EIGHT?!.. one second.." She went over to her waiter friend and after a few murmurs, he said quite loudly with big eyes,"A TABLE FOR EIGHT?!..."

    Anyways, we ended up just having to find unoccupied tables and push them together. The food service is decent and timely. I was actually really surprised about the food prices and the portions that you get for it. I ordered the curry chicken dish and it came out on a 8'' oval serving platter that was filled nearly to the brim. I was almost in shock because usually for curry bowls, sushi places give you this small bowl with a bit of rice. I was pretty satisfied of what I ordered and the sushi rolls that I ordered as well.

    I definitely recommend this place for cheap sushi dates and anyone in the mood to get a lot of bang for their buck.

  • Review from Angie C.

    Oakland, CA

    4.0 star rating
    12/3/2011 3 Check-ins Here

    Ramen is ordinary - get the combo for a bowl of ramen and a side.

    What I really do like about Manpuku is the spam masubi :)

  • Review from Vincent C.

    • 2 friends
    • 13 reviews

    Imperial Beach, CA

    3.0 star rating
    1/19/2012

    Since I'm back at Berkeley for yet another semester, might as well review the places I went for the first week!

    My friend took me here for lunch and she said it was poppin' for lunch, but no, it was not. After we ordered at the front (where we got good service), we were lucky to get a table right away. This place is really small and I can see it getting packed at peak hours.

    I saw a lot of students walk in and just buy their food to-go. Prices are decent. Got miso soup-based ramen for around 6 bucks. The noodles seemed like the packaged ones, but oh well, it was good enough to satisfy my cravings for soup (and noodles).

    Friend of mine got their CA rolls, 6 pieces for 3.10 (tax inclusive), very reasonably priced and quality is ok.

    They accept credit cards, for a minimum purchase of $10.

    Will probably come back to this place if I need some Japanese food.

  • Review from lexi l.

    • 24 friends
    • 19 reviews

    Oakland, CA

    1.0 star rating
    1/23/2012

    Maybe if I was a starving college student from cal.......
    or maybe my taste buds had been ripped out in a freak accident.....
    or maybe I was from a state that didn't have top ramen in a bag 10/$1.00........
    all of this and I would still think this was the WORST ramen I have ever eaten.

    the staff is awesome- nice, considerate, helpful even.....but the food is boo.
    the ramen I had was the winter ramen.
    it had a "spicy miso" broth. which was neither spicy nor tasted of any hints of miso.
    had some grey mushrooms, thin julienned fish cake (maybe a teaspoon of them) and some tofu. all in all one of the most drab boring ramens I have ever had.
    also had some gyoza that tasted like it had been pre boiled in dish water
    and then the california rolls- pretty awesome and only 2.85

    if you have any ideas what a good ramen is I would not suggest this.
    I guess it's true what they say- you get what you pay for.

  • Review from Lixia L.

    • 24 friends
    • 23 reviews

    San Francisco, CA

    3.0 star rating
    1/15/2012

    It's like a Japanese version of Steve's BBQ~ I appreciate this system of ordering/paying first then seating yourself. Another similarity is quality, price, and portion size of the food. My friend and I made the mistake of ordering two bowls of ramen...we would have been just fine with one along with the other little dishes that came with the combo. @___@ So much food... Those "bowls" were like the size of buckets I would use to mop a floor.

    Ramen noodles may come from packages, meat in the soup was scarce, but for the price of $6.50 for this huge bowl, perhaps I can't complain too much. The pork broth I enjoyed, though!

    The open kitchen is pretty neat. We sat at the bar for some free entertainment with our meal.

    I could not finish my bowl of ramen...what I took home nearly filled a take-out container meant to hold a full order. Dang. I guess if you order to-go, you're given less food and/or broth?

    If both portions and prices were slashed in half, I would add another star.

  • Review from Raquel Y.

    San Leandro, CA

    1.0 star rating
    Updated - 11/13/2011 1 Check-in Here

    After trying 10 other ramen places in the East Bay, looking back at this one, it's a 1 star.

    Yeah it gets crackin, lots of people waiting in line, but that's because this is the only ramen joint in the upper East Bay.  

    But seriously! This ramen place sucks for being a ramen restaurant. Look at my Ramen List for other ramen places to try. If you think this one is good, you aint seen nothin' yet! ;)

    Listed in: Ramen

    Was this review …?

    1 Previous Review: Show all »

    • 3.0 star rating
      8/19/2011

      "Manpuku" means "Stuffed" in Japanese... and by the size of the ramen bowls, they picked a right… Read more »

  • Review from Kathy L.

    • 69 friends
    • 28 reviews

    Berkeley, CA

    4.0 star rating
    11/20/2011

    My go-to place for cheap sushi. Self-serve and low key. What it lacks in presentation, it more than makes up for in price and quality. We always get the spicy tuna roll, aloha or rainbow roll, dragon roll, and a miscellaneous craving-of-the-week roll and it always comes to just under $20. That means more money for dessert at Ici's or that thrifted J. Crew at Jeremy's down the street!

    I didn't really appreciate this place until my cravings once took me to a sushi restaurant in concord that serves rolls on par (if not below) that of Manpuku but had prices 2x and even 3x more O_O

    So I tip my hat to you Manpuku. Thank you for making my sushi addiction a relatively inexpensive vice.

  • Review from Brandy A.

    San Jose, CA

    4.0 star rating
    3/1/2012

    The Manpuku house ramen is the way to go. I had a particularly good experience here because we came on a rainy, cold night. A large bowl (and they really are quite big!) warmed my body and mind. There is a lot of soup. We also ordered a side of fried rice, which was a bit small, but tasty. Plain and straightforward without any frills. It doesn't have the best, most delicious-tasting ramen imo but it's a good option for the neighborhood it's located in. Cozy small space so I can imagine having to wait on a busy weeknight, but the service is speedy. Parking on the street, which might take a while if there are no spots open.

  • Review from Sophia H.

    • 0 friends
    • 1 review

    San Francisco, CA

    5.0 star rating
    3/24/2012

    For the price and quality of sushi, Manpuku gets 5 stars!
    The sushi is consistently good, especially the salmon avocado maki for $2.95.
    Pretty sure Manpuku is as good as it gets for affordable and fast sushi, definitely my go to spot :)

1 to 40 of 806 (50 Filtered) |  
Page: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 ...
Write a Review

Deals Nearby

People Who Viewed This Also Viewed...