I love Japanese food, and ever since I came to Berkeley, I had always held Manpuku as the best Japanese restaurant. Before my visit today, I would've given them 4 stars. ...but not today unfortunately. I hadn't come to Manpuku in awhile (I spend most of my time on Northside), but I was thoroughly disappointed today. Where to start...first, the chicken terryaki's texture was...stringy. At first I thought it was salmon! But upon further inspection, it was chicken, but the texture was horrendous. Second, the miso soup was incredibly watery, which in my book is a big no at a Japanese restaurant. The tofu in the soup was also very dense, but not in a pleasant sense. Third, the pork katsu's breading was so thick this time! In previous trips, I loved eating the katsu because it had a light breading to it, but this time it was not good. Lastly, the sashimi was...how do I say it...flobbery? Sashimi should hold together when you grab it, not fall apart. Plus, the fish was not even close to being fresh. Maybe there's a change of ownership or something since I last came...but I noticed this time all but one employee was different. Plus, I noticed pretty unhygienic routines in the kitchen! The chef handling the noodles handled with his bare hands! Who knows if he had touched other ingredients or surfaces beforehand! And this shocked me the most...the sashimi chef cleaned his knife with water in the sink...and then proceeded to "dry" it on THE BRIM OF THE SINK!!! I nearly puked upon seeing that AFTER I ate my sashimi! So for this most recent visit, since I have good memories of Manpuku from before, I'll give it 2 stars, though I'm really tempted to give it one star... read more

Since I'm back at Berkeley for yet another semester, might as well review the places I went for the first week! My friend took me here for lunch and she said it was poppin' for lunch, but no, it was not. After we ordered at the front (where we got good service), we were lucky to get a table right away. This place is really small and I can see it getting packed at peak hours. I saw a lot of students walk in and just buy their food to-go. Prices are decent. Got miso soup-based ramen for around 6 bucks. The noodles seemed like the packaged ones, but oh well, it was good enough to satisfy my cravings for soup (and noodles). Friend of mine got their CA rolls, 6 pieces for 3.10 (tax inclusive), very reasonably priced and quality is ok. They accept credit cards, for a minimum purchase of $10. Will probably come back to this place if I need some Japanese food. read more

Consistently good Ramen. WInter Miso Ramen (with Kim chi) is one of my favorites to order. There pork broth is also pretty good. Chirashi and sushi is pretty good as well. It's a "friend" kind of place as opposed to a "date" kind of place. It can get crowded, but it's worth the (usually short, if any) wait! read more

It's a nice little place with good Japanese eats at an affordable price. But nothing is really spectacular nor is it that big a bargain. So the hype and the 5-star reviews people have given this place just kinda perplexes me. Things to Plan Around: 1) Street parking is TERRIBLE in this neighborhood. Plan accordingly. 2) The words TIGHT and CROWDED are understatements when describing the dining room. Keep your parties to 4 people at most. read more

This place is cheap but doesn't have the best tasting food. I've tried a lot of the items on the menu like their sushi, zaru soba, tempura, their bento boxes, and katsu curry. The zaru soba and tempura weren't too memorable. I've definitely had them better at other japanese restaurants. Their chicken is too dry and their sushi seems pretty normal to me. I thought their curry was pretty good though so if my friends do drag me here I'll probably get that. Maybe I'll try their ramen because that's what people have been talking about. i also felt really cramped here. Didn't like the setting of the restaurant very much. Personally I wouldn't recommend this place if you want some good-tasting japanese food. People like their sushi but it's pretty average. Nothing too special. read more

I used to be a big fan of Manpuku. Recently, however, it has been really subpar. First, the space smells like cigarette smoke, especially towards the back of the restaurant and near the kitchen. Also, the area is very cramped and is not very clean. We ordered the snake roll, Manpuku roll. Caterpillar roll and the Mexican roll. The eel or unagi in the rolls lacked flavor and was fatty. The shrimp tasted quite awful-gummy and fishy. The rolls were also pretty small and fell apart very easily. The service was terrible! Really some of the worst ever. Very rude. When I asked for a little more of the spicy sauce atop one roll, a woman barked that it cost extra and snapped at us. By the time we got our food, I didn't want to even eat. AVOID- and go to the lovely Korean restaurant Be Bop next door! read more

Cheap sushi. Small place. Can definitely be tough to find seating. Order at the counter and then seat yourself. Quality is mediocre and nothing really stands out. I don't leave hungry, but I'm not exactly full either I guess. But that's just me. Some of the people I come with can get full from one roll, while other friends are more like me. Rolling deep and coming here makes for awkward seating... read more

I love this place! I always get the Chirashi or Sashimi Bento which are at really good prices considering how much food they give in them. Keep up the good work! :D read more

This place is SURPRISINGLY good for its prices! I can't tell you how shocked I was the first time my friend took me here. I'm from LA where the sushi is always top-notch and expected this place to be a total hole, but it's not. Some of their more basic rolls (like spicy tuna) go for as little as $3, and the more complex ones are only $7 or $8! The fish is actually really fresh and they don't douse their rolls with tons of sauces like a lot of sushi places do. The atmosphere is pretty dim and uninteresting, so I always get my food to go, which is fine with me because there's no expectation of a large tip. I also don't understand why people complain about having to order/pay before sitting down; Manpuku is not a date-night, upscale sushi place, it's definitely meant for takeout or quick bites. The waitstaff is inconsistent, but you don't have very much contact with them, and the sushi chefs seem interested in and dedicated to their work. Seriously, though, you can NOT beat the prices here! I escape completely full for $13! Watch out for lines on Friday and Saturday nights, not too bad, though. read more

After a long day of adventuring in Berkeley & SF, my friends and I were STARVED. We all were craving sushi, and since it can get pretty expensive pretty fast (especially on a college student budget), my friend recommended Manpuku. She's from Piedmont, so I figured we couldn't go wrong with a recommendation from someone who grew up in the area! + FIRST IMPRESSIONS: It was around 7pm on a Saturday night, and the upside was that there wasn't an immediate line coming out of the door. However, everyone was snug INSIDE the waiting area, since it was pretty chilly out. The place itself is pretty small, but it's Berkeley, so it's not like finding a restaurant space with a lot of room is affordable and/or cheap. Some of the decor could use a makeover, but I feel like you'd go to Manpuku for convenience/budget-friendly versus gourmet/ambiance. + SERVICE: We were immediately greeted by an older lady, who was very sweet and friendly, and welcomed us with menus. Their ordering system is kind of weird, since you order & pay first (although it makes it easier to pay when you're in a group of friends than splitting the bill later on). The ordering area was pretty cramped since there was quite a lot of people ordering as well as others who were waiting for a table. It started clearing up though, so that wasn't really a problem. My friends and I ordered, and we got our table in about 10 minutes! The guy working the register was super nice and remembered (through all of the rush hour craziness) that we wanted a table and told us when it was available (since we couldn't really see the waitress through the sea of people). OH and my order was $10.03 & I gave the guy $11, but he gave me back a full dollar, versus giving me back 97cents in change, which I both applaud and feel slightly guilty for. Our waitress was really sweet and brought out our orders promptly. I was worried that she had forgotten about my udon, since it was the last thing to come out, but she didn't! + FOOD: I ordered the udon (which I was sort of hesitant about, but ordered anyway because I was staaaarving) and the salmon avocado maki since I didn't really want a full roll, even though the Aloha roll looked so good in the photo & description! Udon - it was soooo good, albeit a little salty, but still good! The udon was basically on par with other sushi restaurants that I've been to, where the udon was $10+! The udon at Manpuku was only ~$7 and it definitely exceeded my expectations (since Manpuku looks a little seedy on the outside imo). The salmon avocado maki roll was pretty good too! Although some pieces had way too much avocado and it drowned out the little-to-no salmon that was in it. + OVERALL: I'd definitely come back to Manpuku for sushi if I was in Berkeley again! You're not paying for the ambiance, but the food is definitely great tasting (especially compared to sushi joints in Davis) for the inexpensive pricetag! read more

Manpuku - Udon (~$6-$7) - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

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ok this is semi fast food set up sushi joint where you order first at the counter nd then food is brought out to you. It is also home to the $10 chirashi which consists of 5 different cuts of fish though rather thinly sliced. They are accomodating though. I did get to replace rice with salad. Menu is rather extensive too with nigiri, combos,etc etc. Price is reasonable Chirashi - $10 not bad at all. You get tuna, salmon, white tuna, and yellowtail I believe. cuts are thin but good portion for $10 Sushi Combo B and Sushi Combo C are about a $6 difference with $15 and $21. The Combo C has more nigri and another roll as well. Again cuts are thn and the rolls have more rice than the actual fish but for the price its not bad. So why a 3? Because of the gross side salad that they offer. Just look at my pictures, the side salad that my fiance got just looked completely wet and like its been sitting there in dressing. lettuce was completely transparant and not even coleslaw texture. not OK at all. read more

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Finally a place with fresh fish at very reasonable prices! We had the chirashi which contains 5 kinds of sashimi, 3 pieces each kind. All very fresh but each piece is a tad smaller than your typical chirashi at other places. But at $10.95 it's a good price. The chirashi rice was cold. It would be better if its luke warm. The unagi over hamachi-avocado roll was on the spot. Spicy tuna handroll has a good kick and sizable. The only thing I complain about is the spicy scallop maki which has a whole lot of rice and very little scallop. I guess at $3.95 you kinda expect that. But overall great quality fresh fish at great prices! read more

Manpuku - Chirashi @$10.95 with 15 pieces of fresh fish! - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Food: The pork katsu's pork was dry and thin and could easily have been mistaken for a frozen dinner. And it was hilarious that one of the "dishes" for the bento were two sticks of celery and a dab of mayonnaise. Maybe I'll try something else next time and see how it goes. Environment: Small and tucked-in kind of shop. There isn't much seating but I guess turn-around time is fast enough that everyone manages somehow. Cost: Could have gone for another restaurant with the greater-than-$10 I paid for my meal; not worth the price. read more

This place is okay. Don't confuse it for the to-go version right next door though! Food was really good and very affordable! This is a spot that I would visit again. Big servings and really good food quality! read more

Manpuku - Tempura Appetizer - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

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I love Manpuku! It's a cheap and delicious meal that is quick! I like its vibe and now that they have created a second, more evening restaurant style, spot right next door is so great! The people are nice, the rolls are delicious, the ramen hits the spot and the location is great! read more

Great food for inexpensive price. Go to the Garage side if it is open. The menus are exactly the same.

They get 5 starts cause they now made this place bigger! Food taste just as amazing as before.

Really good sushi at a good price. I recommend getting sushi combo c, you get a good balance of maki, nigri, and assorted rolls. The restaurant is clean, there's plenty of street parking nearby and the wait staff is attentive and friendly. read more

Horrible experience! I went in with my friend, and was ignored, so we got a table. Then around 25 minutes later (mind you it wasn't busy at all) my friend got us menus and asked the waitress if we could order. She told us she would be there in a few minutes. When she came back 5 minutes later she said, "You know you guys can go next door and order take out there instead of sitting down" in a very condescending voice. We were confused why she was being so rude when we were polite. We were appalled. This was so rude of her. We left the restaurant. This was a young Asian woman who seems to be working there a lot. read more

Reasonably priced and very fresh fish. A mix of traditional and inventive flavor combinations. Prepared foods discounted at the end of the day. read more

Staff is nice, and their sushi is at such a good price, the rolls aren't always perfect but they are tasty I love manpuku and eat there regularly. Try the chirashi bowl, the winter ramen or the unaman maki :) read more

I know it's a weird thing to suggest from such a wonderful selection like they have.. BUT TRY THE CHICKEN! I need to find theyre supplier, it's so good. Wether you get teriyaki chicken or chicken udon, hella good! You can't go wrong read more

Just your basic Japanese take out or quick dine-in. Perfectly OK. Nothing special but nothing really off either. If you're in a hurry or don't want to spend $100 on sushi for 2, this is an adequate option. I've ordered takeout here at least 30 times so they must be doing something right I guess. Good pricing is the big selling point. You have to be very patient ordering on the phone, there is a language barrier that's hard to explain. My wife is Japanese and she's given up on figuring it out so I do all the ordering. At this point it's just funny and part of the experience. read more

I just got a new job at a nearby location and thought, "Mmmm! Sushi!" on my lunch break one day. Coworkers even told me it was great. So I walked the 3 blocks to broaden my lunch cuisine repertoire. But, this place is the epitome of why I'm perfectly happy with the repertoire I already have. My first clue that I should have turned a 180 and gone to find a new place was when I walked in, the whole place was so dark and dank that I felt like I stepped into a bad Sci-Fi movie. The next was when I asked the lady standing behind the counter if I could see a menu and looked at me like I had a booger in my nose (it's not confirmed that I didn't - jk). When I decided that I would just get one of the pre-made bento boxes to-go so as to save on time, she smacked her lips and acted as though she was just disgusted with my decision. When I asked if they all had cucumber, snatching up 3 different boxes she said annoyed, "Yas! They hah coo-cum-ba. See. Coo-cum-ba, coo-cum-ba, coo-cum-ba". I just looked at her shocked by her attitude and told her I would just get the edamame and a Diet Coke. So you can imagine my surprise when she told me my total was $8.37. By then, I was too afraid of what her reaction would be to ask her if that was correct. So I just paid her, ate my edamame, and dealt with my growling stomach for the rest of the afternoon. read more

Their food is good but the service is awful. I placed an in person order for takeout and asked the cashier how long it would be, because I was in a rush. She said 25 minutes, so I came back 25 minutes later, and walked in to see if my food was ready. There were 2-3 orders bagged up waiting on the counter, so I figured one of them was mine. Before I could read the names on the bags, the cashier SHOOED me out of the store, telling me my order wasn't ready yet, and that I should wait outside. We then waited another full 20-25 minutes. Finally, she tries to give me an order thats not mine, I tell her that my order number was something different. She walks back in, grabs one of the bags that was sitting there when I first arrived, puts it in my hands without saying a single word, and walks away. I've seriously never seen worse service anywhere and the food was awkwardly warm when we finally ate it. I'm sure it would have been delicious if it was fresh. Don't bother coming, there are a lot of better sushi places in Berkeley that actually have good service. read more

Manpuku is a good place for grab-n-go items ( a number of great packaged items right up front by the cash register) or during one's lunch break or right before a movie. Order and pay at the front counter (where the register is) and grab a seat at the sushi bar or one of the small tables while you wait for your food. This place is easy on the wallet - whether you want a bento box, some ramen, or sushi. Let's be real in that the quality of fish is fine for what it is - no one's flying in fish from Tsukiji Fish Market in Tokyo. You won't be dazzled, but Manpuku is a solid choice for a quick, inexpensive (for Japanese food) bite. read more

I'm sorry to say that this place is just god awful. First off, their ramen was very bad along with the fact the broth nearly melted off the pink stuff on my oden. 2nd, the quality of fish used is pretty bad. I imagine someone there waits at a dock till the discount cuts come up. read more

Manpuku is our favorite place in Berkeley. We always roll three deep, order five rolls*, drink some killer tea, and walk out pleasantly full but not in pain. The rolls are LARGE and consistently tasty, the entire staff is nice and attractive, the building is cute and cozy, and the crowd is pleasant and eclectic. You'll find the whole experience to be low-key, but entirely pleasant. But what keeps bringing us back to Manpuku is the dirt cheap price. You just don't need to order that many items to have an excellent meal here. Some caveats: (1) Notice the emphasis placed on rolls; they are the reason to come. If you want nigiri, there are better places. Order the rolls and you won't be disappointed. (2) We only order the cheap things (although we did get a sashimi bento that was quite tasty once). I can't comment on the fancier side of the menu, although the dragon rolls always look delicious. * We pretty much always order the same thing for three people: - 2 shrimp tempura rolls - 1 avocado roll - 1 rock 'n' roll (eel & avocado) - 1 spicy tuna roll What? This doesn't sound like enough food for any three people, let alone two big dudes and a foxy, ravenous girl? It is... that's the beauty of Manpuku. read more

I'd give it 4.5 stars, but not 5 stars since I've been there several times and there were some times when they were "off". But, overall pleasant experience. I still go there every now & then My favorite is cha siu ramen!!!! Edit: I think I've visited them enough to realize their problem: inconsistency! 3 stars! read more

One of my favorite places. Cheap food, nice staff. It's certainly not a destination restaurant, but I love this place and here's why: Good broth for their udon and ramen. I often get tempura udon (like Nabeyaki, but sans egg) or winter or gomoku ramens . I'm not a sushi freak, and their sushi is just ok. This doesn't bother me because it's cheap, and I'm much more a noodle person. Their beef yaki soba is also quite good. This place is a friendly local joint. The cashier girls are super nice. When my friend broke her arm and showed up in a cast, the nice lady cooed over her and came over to her table to separate her chopsticks for her so she can eat! Then gave her a bowl of comfort miso. This kept up until her arm healed--*weeks*! One of their night cashiers, Kira, is also super-nice. No 'tude, just good service and good chit chat. I'd probably give it 4* if I were was an exclusively sushi person, as most of the reviewers seem to be. read more

For what Manpuku is -- fast, cheap Japanese-style food -- they do a passable job. The thing is, the nigiri and sashimi are inconsistent and so-so: sometimes small cuts, sometimes large, sometimes flavorless, sometimes really fresh and delicious. If I get fish here, I usually go for salmon, because it's the fish I've had here that is the most consistently good. But this place is a bargain if you need filling up and are craving fish, but don't have a lot of cash (and the far superior Geta on Piedmont is closed!). I'm hard on Japanese restaurants if they have so-so fish, so they would get two stars from me except for the savior, udon. I love udon, and the udon at Manpuku is pretty fair for the price. Sure, the broth isn't as strong as I'd like it, and the noodles are sometimes overcooked, but add a little shichimi to their plain vegetable udon and you're good to go, with everything you need for a proper and filling meal: wakame, spinach, fishcake, tofu, and a half an egg. A steal at under $5. Go ritzy and have their tempura udon for a couple dollars more. The tempura here is also quite good, and you get a very generous portion with your soup. Boo to the plastic soup bowls. read more

Man this sushi is super cheap. This is an awesome place to go if you want to get some sushi but don't want to spend tons of money. If you are like me and get the hankering for a sushi fix but don't want to make a big production out of it then I would definitely recommend this place. The fish has always been fresh, there is tons of turnover so you know they aren't gonna feed you anything sketchy, their soups are wet, salty and noodley, they sell kim chi for some delicious reason, and you can eat tons of it without breaking the bank. I give them four stars for best cheap sushi that I have tried on this side of the bridge. read more

They have a good menu selection which includes sashimi, sushi rolls, ramen, donburi, tonkatsu, and yaki soba. Plus their prices don't leave you wondering if you'll make rent this month. Their sushi is reliably good (I've never worried about getting sick from eating their raw fish) and their portions are pretty decent. Minor issues: -parking--college avenue between 5 and 6pm is not pretty. -seating--you order first, they give you a number, you (try to) find a table...if you go during a busy time beware of table vultures, they'll just swoop in and steal your table! read more

I never get sushi here cos, well, let's face it: THIS IS NOT A SUSHI RESTAURAUNT. It's a ramen house and an amazing ramen house at that. Can't beat the basics of shoyu, miso, or chashu for less than $7. The bowl is so big I can never finish it! You can get sides here too but really nobody should need to eat more than one giant bowl of ramen. It's amazing and it's worth any drive to eat it. I'm sure the sushi is good blah blah blah I've had it and it's good sushi but it's not where I go when I think, "I want sushi tonight." It's just good sushi, nothing special. Lots of American rolls which I find annoying (and cheap looking.) I'd give it 5 stars for the ramen alone but they don't serve liquor and I can't have ramen without beer. read more

Well, there is plenty of opinions on this place, so I'm going to chime in from the allergy/limited diet perspective. I can't eat gluten or eggs and the staff is always helpful about double-checking to make sure there are no hidden allergens in my food and refraining from putting soy sauce (which has wheat) on anything I order. They are also very understanding about accidents, and graciously took back and substituted an item that had mayonnaise (which has egg) for an egg-free item without charging me even though I'd forgotten to tell them about the egg/mayonnaise/tempura prohibition when I ordered. Though I have to remember to bring my own wheat-free tamari when I go, I like the free green tea and wide enough selection of items that I feel abundant rather than limited when I order. And all at a reasonable price. read more

VERY inexpensive sushi! But more important than cheap? FRESH! Yes the nigri was so fresh and tender and practically melted in my mouth. This place is no frills! Order at the register and they will call out your number when it's ready. Other food ordered was salmon teryaki and tonkatsu... they didn't look like manpuku's strong point. I thought the miso was not great. But if your coming for straight sushi and want to eat alot without breaking the bank this is a 5 star place!!! I minused one star because it really is kind of gross in the bathroom. read more

I can't quite bring myself to give it five stars, because it isn't truly world-class, five-star sushi, but almost nothing makes this sushi fiend happier than Manpuku. For ratio of price to quality it is absolutely unparalleled. With basic rolls at around $3.00 and nigiri $1.40/piece, it's the only place I've ever found where I can eat my fill of good sushi for under $12. I've been here many times and have always had fresh, tasty, well-prepared food. Manpuku is home to my favorite California roll (imitation crab, but they do a great job with it -- finely shredded, not too much mayo) and my favorite spicy tuna roll (super generous portion of quite spicy tuna rolled with tangy, bitter radish leaves and cool cucumbers - YUM!). Their unagi is also consistently plump, tender and flavorful (much better than at more expensive joints like Miyozen) and the sashimi combo appetizer for $7.95 is a great deal. My boyfriend and I shared the Sushi Combo C tonight -- Cali roll, rock 'n roll, salmon roll, spicy tuna roll (substituted instead of tempura roll) and 10 pieces of nigiri. Every bite was good and it was actually a full meal for two for $22! Presumably they can afford to keep their prices low because the restaurant has pretty much no ambiance and very little service, not because the food is low quality. And that is just fine with me. We usually get our food to go and savor it at home. read more

Scenario: Scouting out the new neighborhood for food. Product: I got the miso ramen with California roll combo. Talk about a deal! The food is delicious, plentiful, AND cheap. There's white pepper, red pepper, and sesame oil available as well. I did not get regular sushi because I felt it would take too long to ask where it comes from and check my iPhone's Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Guide. Service: For being such a packed and busy place the service was good and the food came out very fast. It was a little difficult placing my order because the lady at the register and I were having a hard time understanding what the other was saying. Atmosphere: It's along a row of restaurants in a clean, friendly part of town. The line goes out the door and it's really hard to find a seat. The bar seating is VERY cramped so cross your fingers for one of the tiny tables. Uniquity: Good cheap food in a nice neighborhood. I'm witholding a little to see how they rate on the Seafood Guide and if the crowd ever subsides. read more

I've been going to Manpuku ever since college and it's never failed to deliver. It is what it is and has stayed true to its roots for as long as I can remember. Manpuku is the budget Japanese cafe that has a little bit of everything. From udon/ramen to bento boxes of teriyaki and shioyaki to sashimi and rolls to tonkatsu. Very cozy and homely. The food is pretty good although their sashimi is slightly lacking (but this is coming from a guy that thinks sushi house sashimi is subpar) and I feel that it's definitely better than what you'd expect for the money you're paying. Manpuku is definitely the place to go for the recession-minded restaurateur. read more

Decent sushi rolls for an unbeatable price. Definitely not a bad combo. You order and then you seat yourself. This is where the problem begins, it does get crowded and finding a table can get difficult. Usually, the service is pretty good, except when you're at the register. One time, the cashier overcharged me and when I pointed it out, she corrected her mistake and showed me the receipt to make sure I was satisfied, but did NOT give me back my money. Honestly, who cares what the receipt says, just give me back the amount you overcharged me. The sushi is pretty tasty. But the sushi chefs are often rushing and they serve you sushi that falls apart! Sorry sir, but those are no longer sushi rolls. You can't go wrong with udon here, winter udon is my favorite. If you want cheap food, come here. read more