Ahliil S.
Google
The food was unfortunately the most disappointing part of the evening. Having been to Japan before, I can say this didn’t feel like a proper izakaya experience. Most dishes lacked flavor, and the eel in particular was unusually tough. For the price point—around $150 for two people—it was all very underwhelming.
The service felt impersonal and disconnected. Everything had to be ordered through an app, even small requests like wasabi, which made it frustrating to communicate with staff. Our servers only came by when dropping off food, never checked on us, and didn’t offer drink refills or to-go boxes unless we asked. On top of that, whenever we had a question, we were often cut off mid-sentence with, “You have to go through the app,” before we could even finish speaking. It was hard not to notice that other tables received more friendly and conversational service, which made the lack of attention at ours stand out even more.
The one redeeming factor was the atmosphere. The interior design and overall aesthetic were beautiful—it genuinely felt like being in Japan—and the background music was at a perfect volume. It’s a shame the service and food didn’t match the inviting environment.
Manzoku Izakaya has a lovely ambiance but falls short where it matters most: food and service. While I understand that using an app can help streamline orders in a busy setting, it shouldn’t come at the expense of genuine hospitality or attentiveness. And before anyone asks whether I brought up the issues that night with management—I didn’t. It was late, we’d had a long day, and after such a disappointing experience, we honestly just wanted to leave, pay, and go home.