Yabu: Howse Of Katsu Robinson's Magonia

I like this branch for it’s cozy atmosphere, the seat assigned to me was bit far from the servers, we had to wave for quite a while to be noticed. Food as of 11/11/23 I noticed that the portion got smaller but the taste is still consistent. They have this ongoing promo, free mozzarella cheese when you order two fruit shakes. The only available fruit then was watermelon (which is free in the sets) per glass costs 150 pesos as of to date.

I’ve been a frequent visitor to this Yabu branch since they first opened. I haven’t been back in 3 years (due to Covid) so I wanted to make sure that on this short trip back, I would drop by for a visit. The good 👍🏻: Their food is still very good. A friend recommended getting the Furikake Fries, which were delicious on their own or paired with the aioli dip. I usually get the Hire Katsu, and I still like that they have good breading and consistency. Cabbage and miso soup were good too. When asking for a refill, they made sure to include new ice as well. The Not-so-good 👎: Service is inconsistent. We went on a weekday so the place wasn’t very full, and we did get seated right away. But after ordering (initially just) appetisers, and a drink, the server gave us water and then forgot about us for about 20-30 minutes. Nowhere in that time was my iced tea served (this is usually served right away), and neither were the 2 appetisers. Had to follow up about 2-3 times for the fries, and only then did they say “it’s almost ready to be served”. I think the server who took our order forgot about us, which is weird because we were sitting out on a table, with no orders on our table, for 30 minutes. Even the katsu meals are served within that time. When we were finally ready to order our katsu meals, those didn’t take long to arrive. I also noticed that unlike before (or at least in this experience), they no longer approach tables asking if people want cabbage or rice refills. And it’s not always easy to catch their attention. Overall, would I still go back? Yes, because I love the food. But have to say that their service isn’t as good as it was before, even on days when the restaurant is not as busy.

Plenty of seats. There was a small roach near the bench where we sat. Attendant immediately apologized saying they just had pest control the night before that's why some bugs are still roaming the place which doesnt make any sense but its fine. Food was really good with our favorite rosu meal. tender pork with a little fat. the unli cabage with kewpie is really good. even my sone who doesnt eat vegetables loved this combo

Solid and consistent food that never disappoints! Have been eating Yabu for a few years now and this location is the best, and most consistent, that I have tried. Curry and fish dishes are best in my experience everyhting that I have tried has been a level higher in taste and quality than other similar restaurants. Service and cleanliness are also very good even with the turnover in staff that is typical for restaurants in Manila. 10/10 would recommend!