Bijin Nabe by Tsukada Nojo Philippines — Restaurant in Pasay

Bijin Nabe at SM Mall of Asia has long been a favorite, particularly for its renowned collagen soup that keeps us coming back. However, a recent visit revealed significant changes to their menu that have unfortunately impacted the overall experience and value. Our usual order is no longer available, and the menu has shifted to an à la carte format for everything. This means what was once included is now an add-on, making it considerably more expensive. We tried the new original broth with spinach, along with add-ons like prawn, fish cake, corn, and assorted vegetables. While the broth itself remains as delicious as ever, we were disappointed to find that the chicken, which used to be part of the original offering, is now gone from the broth entirely. The most notable negative aspect of our recent visit was the service. Our server seemed to be new or lacked sufficient training, appearing unsure of what to do and attempting to handle multiple tasks simultaneously, leading to some confusion. This was the only significant drawback we encountered regarding the staff. On the positive side, the restaurant remains clean, and we appreciate the convenience of a clean toilet inside. Ultimately, while the quality of the collagen broth is still a highlight, the shift to an entirely à la carte menu has driven up the prices considerably. Unless there's a promotion, the increased cost makes it difficult to justify frequent visits. Be prepared to spend more if you plan...

Disappointing Experience

I recently dined at Bijin Nabe at S maison and I have to say, my experience was far from what I expected, especially considering the high prices. The menu was quite limited, which made it difficult to find something appealing. We ended up ordering the takoyaki fries and salmon summer rolls, hoping for a tasty meal, but unfortunately, both dishes were lacking in flavor.

After finishing our food, we decided to leave for another restaurant, but that’s where the real frustration began. When I asked the waiter for the bill, he informed me that we needed to order hotpot before we could leave. This was surprising, as we had already ordered and eaten. I expressed my dissatisfaction with the menu and our meal, but the waiter insisted on checking with his manager for approval to let us go.

I found this policy to be quite unreasonable and off-putting. Dining out should be an enjoyable experience, and being held hostage for a hotpot order felt ridiculous. Overall, I was disappointed with the food and the service. I won’t be returning, and I would recommend looking elsewhere if you want a satisfying meal and a pleasant...

BAD SERVICE + RIDICULOUS RULE ON ORDERING JUST THE HOT POT AND HOW MANY HOT POT YOU SHOULD ORDE AT YOUR TABLE

If you want to enjoy a CAREFREE, CHILL meal with your family, this is NOT the place to go.

You are REQUIRED to order the soup and THRY DICTATE HOW MANY SERVINGS YOU SHOULD ORDER EVEN IF YOUR COMPANY WILL NOT HAVE THE SOUP. Every two diners MUST--I mean MUST--order 1 soup. If you have a 3rd diner who has no interest in having the soup, you have no choice but to order a 2nd soup worth 750 bucks! RIDICULOUS rule.

We were a family of 5. We tried explaining to the inexperienced and incompetent manager that the 5th person in our family had no interest in the soup but the young and incompetent and inarticulate and inconsiderate manager insisted we order 3 servings of soup.

We als were not allowed to order other items in the menu. The manager said that all other items were considered SIDE DISHES even if there was not anything written on the menu that these were SIDE DISHES and that each table was REQUIRED TO HAVE THE SOUP.

Our awful experience at this restaurant leaves a bad taste in the mouth....