Masuki — Restaurant in Manila

Masuki has long been a beloved institution in Binondo, and generations of customers have proven time and again that it offers more than just its classic mami and siopao. Personally, every time I visit Binondo, dining at Masuki feels like eating at home with my family and loved ones—warm, comforting, and familiar.

During my visit on January 31, 2025, I had a unique experience. There was an ongoing interview featuring Masuki’s owner, Ms. Willen Ma, and Kuya Tonipet from Net25. Cameras and lights were set up at different angles, capturing their conversation. However, what truly caught my attention was what happened during the break—while Kuya Tonipet was directing the shoot, Ms. Willen Ma was busy observing her restaurant. Despite having plenty of staff to assist customers, she personally approached newly arrived diners, asked about their orders, and ensured they were well taken care of.

That moment perfectly captured what Masuki is all about—not just maintaining and perfecting its time-honored recipes, but also fostering a strong connection with its customers. You can feel the passion, not only from the owner but also from the staff, who welcome each guest with warmth and genuine hospitality. This embodies the deep-rooted Filipino-Chinese values that make Masuki special.

I’d say we were lucky that day—enjoying our meal while listening to the ongoing interview felt like tuning into a live podcast at home. To top it all off, Ms. Willen Ma greeted us warmly and even took a cute selfie with us. It was truly a memorable experience!

Thank you, Masuki, for the great food and heartfelt hospitality. I’ll...

Currently, they have the best asado siopao I ever had. Good bread to pork ratio. The pork is well marinated, made up of thin slices of pulled lean pork, not the type of siopao with big chunks of fat. You can eat it without the sauce and it still tastes great. I also ordered the original mami with pieces of chicken and pork asado. It has a sort of unpleasant smell, but not that overpowering. Don't let that fool you though. The proper way to eat this Mami is to pour a generous amount of their sweet sauce as well as heaps of spring onions. This sauce goes well with everything on their menu. The chicken and pork asado on the soup is a bit small, but tastes fresh and delicious, especially the pork. You can tell it's not the frozen and thawed type. A huge jug of water and ice bin is available in the corner of the restaurant for filling up your thermal flasks, which is great in this scorching summer heat. The dining area is fan cooled and has an old 50s restaurant look, which adds to the charm of the place. Great service. You order, and your food will be at your table in less than 5 minutes. A visit is a must if you...

Got excited when we got there as there was no queue. The previous day, the line was so long it went all the way to the other street. That got my expectations up. I was disappointed when the chicken mami I ordered got served. It looked bland - literally noodles, chicken bits, and clear soup. It came with a separate saucer of chopped spring onions. I tried everything, calamansi, fish sauce, spring onion, white pepper. It tasted like bland chicken broth. I didn't know how salmonella tasted like but I bet it tasted something like that. I swear I could taste raw chicken somewhere, not sure if it was the broth. It didn't help that they served hot sauce in lieu of chili oil. Every other Chinese restaurant had chili oil. The huge pork siomai could have used some chili oil. May I just add, the servers that morning felt like they woke up on the wrong side of the bed - transactional, impersonal. Overall overrated. Price wasn't worth the taste and the experience. Or maybe it's just me. Maybe that's how authentic Chinese noodles should be. Nonetheless I wasn't satisfied and I would recommend other...