Seattle’s Maneki Restaurant - Centennial Affordable Japanese Diner

Craving pork cutlet rice on the weekend, I decided to give a Japanese restaurant in Seattle a try. I chose a century-old granny’s Japanese diner, Maneki Restaurant, located in Seattle’s Chinatown/Japantown. The exterior looks a bit rundown, but the interior decor is very Japanese, filled with adorable lucky cats. The owner is a white-haired granny, which is why it’s nickname is Granny’s Japanese Restaurant. 1️⃣ The unagi rice was pretty good, $28 for a serving. The amount of braised eel wasn’t too large, but the rice underneath was steamed with carrots and bamboo shoots. The portion is generous, enough for two people, and the Japanese rice is steamed to perfection with a rich aroma. 2️⃣ I was most looking forward to the fried pork cutlet, $15. The pork cutlet rice was just average; the cutlet was a bit dry without much juice, but it won in terms of quantity with two large pieces of pork cutlet. 3️⃣ The appetizer, Japanese-style fried chicken, was tasty. The chicken was juicy, and while the skin wasn’t super crispy, it was delicious overall. Additionally, the sauce in the Japanese salad on the side was very tasty! I didn’t order any sushi or sashimi. For two people, including tip, we spent $80. The overall impression was decent. The restaurant itself is very popular, with the place pretty much full at night. I feel like I could go back to try their sashimi and sushi; it’s worth a try! #HiddenGemRestaurant #JapaneseCuisine #RestaurantRecommendation #WillVisitAgain #WeeklyFoodCheckIn #Seattle #SeattleFood #SeattleLife #Bellevue #UnagiRice