Manpuku Japanese BBQ Dallas — Restaurant in Dallas

Where do I start? I was so looking forward to the opening and having some A5 beef again. I have had true A5 and actual Kobe beef before and was looking forward to it again. After reviewing the menu, it appears this is not actual kobe beef, but just the wagyu that's used for kobe beef. Big difference as true kobe beef is from Kobe Japan and its the way they treat the cattle that makes it real Kobe beef, so it's kinda misleading, even though they do say it's American Kobe beef, which doesn't really make sense to me. Anyways, I was really there for the A5 which is offered on the signature tasting. We had a party of 4 so me and my buddy got the signature (2 person minimum) and the women got the American Wagyu tasting. First sign of problem was they didn't even pour our water. Then my friends raspberry cocktail was downright awful. We all tasted it too make sure it wasn't just 1 person thinking it was bad. None of us liked it. It tasted watery without any flavor. They did comp it so that was fine. The service was slow and our server was just not good. We kept having to ask for things that should be brought automatically like small plates. The flow of the meal was just rushed or slow. There was no consistency in how they brought out food. Then the meats started coming out and they were good but not great. It was bland. We had no idea whose tasting was whose. They seemed to lump everything together and it was quite confusing so we just decided to share everything. After the 2nd or 3rd meat, all I could taste was burnt char since the grill plate was not changed. That ruined that kind of meat for that round. Finally we got the server to change it before we continued. I saved the A5 for last but when it was brought to the table, it had sat there because we had all the other meats to cook first. It did not look like any A5 beef I've ever seen. There was no marbling and it looked as if it had melted when they brought it out and it just got worse and worse the longer it sat there waiting for us to get to it. It felt like we were short some meat and a lot of it was chewy and just not very good for that quality. I was so disappointed and embarrassed for my friends in which they were excited to try A5 and other types of wagyu. They were not impressed at all and they shouldn't have been. The service was horrible, the food was mediocre, the pace of the meal was off. And yes, even to pay with our credit cards, they didn't even give us pens to sign. They give you like a $20.00 off your next visit card when you pay and we gave them all to the table next to us since we would not be coming back. Oh yea, after our smallest dessert ever, they were like, we forgot to give you one of your meats, our signature dish! Do you still want it? Hell yes, we felt like it was short but since it was so confusing, we couldn't tell before. So they fired up the grill and cooked 2 more pieces of beef after our ice cream soft serve. Dinner was over $420.00 so you expect a level of quality and service. Price wasn't the issue, but it just wasn't worth it. I do not recommend this place. If you want good A5 or Kobe, try...

Having been loyal patrons of Manpuku Japanese BBQ Dallas since its inception, my wife and I have cherished this dining spot as a staple for our culinary excursions. However, our latest visit presented us with a series of unexpected and rather unwelcome changes that have led us to reassess our once-favorite Japanese BBQ joint.

Under new culinary direction, Manpuku seems to have taken a sharp turn from its previously successful trajectory. The most noticeable shift is the complete overhaul of their menu, stripping away the comforting familiarity of their offerings. To the disappointment of many regulars like us, beloved dishes such as the Manpuku salad are no longer available, leaving a void no new dish has yet to fill.

The restructuring of the tasting experience also merits a mention, though not for reasons of innovation or improvement. Previously, a diverse range of tasting options provided a thorough exploration of their cuisine. Now, choices have been significantly narrowed, while prices have escalated disproportionately. For instance, the American wagyu tasting, once a reasonable indulgence at $70 per person, has soared to $120, with the baseline tasting following suit at an inflated $80. These prices not only overshadow the Californian counterparts but also escalate beyond the expected norm for Texas.

Compounding the sticker shock is the marked decline in food quality, most notably in the meat's preparation. Where once thin, artful slices of meat were the hallmark of their dishes, they have now been replaced by irregular and thick cuts — a downgrade in both presentation and taste.

Additionally, the service, though generally amiable, suffered from moments of overzealousness. An encounter with a staff member who oversold a soup — a soup we've been acquainted with for years — as "the best in the world" struck a dissonant chord, contrasting starkly with the subdued excellence we had come to expect.

In summary, it is with a heavy heart that we must bid farewell to Manpuku Japanese BBQ Dallas. The drastic overhaul of the menu, coupled with the significant price hikes and diminished value, detracts considerably from the charm and quality that once defined the establishment. It seems, regrettably, that the Manpuku we had come to know and...

6/3/2022 update: Pretty disappointed in our most recent experience. We had a party of 6 for my brother-in-law's 21st birthday where we made a reservation. There was no recognition of his birthday at all. The server also really didn't help with the menu selection and just said "choose an omakase" but didn't go into details... We ordered the USA omakase and when they brought the meats, all he did was set it down and tell us the timings (which would have overcooked the beef if you followed exactly). No explanation of what each meat was or the toppings on it. My husband and I had experience with cooking KBBQ, so we were familiar but the rest of his family was not. With managing two burners, my husband had to stand and help the other side of the table while I managed my side. The waiter didn't come over to help at all until the last bit. There was also only one other party in the restaurant when we first arrived.. For $50/person, we expected more help and more explanation of the food. We told the server that it was the family's first time. The soft serve at the end was also just plain vanilla and was nothing special. Very disappointing considering the quality of meats they serve here.

My husband and I had previously been here and the server was amazing (see below). He wouldn't let us cook our own food to ensure it was cooked as intended and described each cut of meat and the sauces and the toppings and how they complimented each other. It was a full experience which is what we wanted to share with our family, especially for a birthday. This experience was the complete opposite and a letdown.

The food was still yummy (it helped we knew not to cook the beef too long...) except for dessert, so I will give them that. Maybe they just can't handle large parties or people unfamiliar with this style of dining. Or maybe unless you order the more expensive omakase, they don't help you/go above and beyond.

Wow! The servers are very knowledgeable on the food here. The beef also tastes absolutely amazing. We ate at a place in Kyoto that specialized in Kobe beef, and MANPUKU is a very similar experience! Highly recommend just taking the server's recommendations. Everything was...