Yabu: House of Katsu Robinsons Magnolia — Restaurant in Quezon City

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...

🎥 Another Yabu Review – Robinsons Magnolia Branch Edition!

So guys, I had a totally different experience here compared to the other Yabu I tried before… and here’s why 👇

🚫 If you’re in a rush, skip this branch. The line outside? Around 25 people waiting. Yup, patience required.

Finally got a seat, but then… the waiter tells me the tonkatsu will take 30 minutes. Fair enough, right? But here’s the kicker — people who ordered after me got their food first. No clear system, so if your meal arrives, you’re basically one of the “lucky ones.” 🍀

🔊 Add to that, the place is noisy. If you’re looking for a comfy, chill dining spot — this ain’t it.

After a couple of complaints, the manager comes over asking what happened. Honestly, I was speechless. She even offered the meal for free, but I told her straight: I didn’t come here for a freebie. I pay for what I order. My reviews are always based on integrity, not on discounts. 🙅‍♂️

👉 So yeah, that was my Robinsons Magnolia Yabu experience. Definitely not what I expected. However, you can try other Yabu branches,...

For a restaurant with items at what you can consider aa on league with the premium side, the experience was really far from premium.

They served us with plates that, from the looks of it, looks used. We asked to have new plates. Theye xchanged it with, to everyone's surprise, with plates that looked used as well. At this point, i asked then to please get plates from the rack of unused ones. And thankfully, the 3rd time's the charm. But i don't think yhey deserve merit for that blunder.

They forgot to give us the sesame seeds and sauces. They remembered when we asked, once our food has been served and has been waitng to be cold.

Food was good though. The sauce and pork was a perfect pair so that's a good point. It was cooked just right and we indeed enjoyed a hearty meal despite all the mishaps. Iced tasted authentic which is good as well.

Manager doesn't really care about their customers. When we asked for the plates to be changed the 2nd time, she just got it, told off her staff, and went on her way, no apologies, no nothing. Same scenario on the...