Reviews Makchang

I've been coming here for many years and I still think this is the best korean bbq place in town. My favorite is their pork galbi. It is very tender and well marinated. I also like their spring onion salad.

It's a good place. Staff are quite fast and accomodating. I guess because it wasnt busy when we were there? We enjoyed our time there overall.

Make sure when go here, its not on busy time like exactly lunch and dinner time also, sit where the servers can see you so that you wont have a hard time getting their attention. :)
Parking is available.

One of the best Korean BBQ restaurants in Manila. The price is typical to middle end restaurants (250-500), if you're looking for unlimited kbbq, this is NOT the place.

Food: Food was really delicious. Meat tssted very premium. Side dishes were delicious
Ambiance: The place is very loud. Waiters are kinda noisy. Wouldve rated 5 if ambiance was bette4
Price: Price isnt too cheap. Just refer to the menu on here. But food is worth the try so you can taste the better meats which you can find in Unli BBQ places

Best kbbq & quality of meat I've tried so far. Galbi Bon Sal is a must try; the fat just melts in your mouth. Makchang gave me a whole different experience of kbbq thanks to their quality meat.

Their service is very good, friendly waiters and even tho we came at around 10pm the staff were still very jolly & kind.

Plus points that they're open 24 hours!!! (It was so good that I was too distracted to take pictures 😅)

You must Love this place if you're a fan of SAMGYUPSAL. The're a lot of korean resto in the area. Huang so ga, is just in the next door. This place offers a lot. From Buffet to a la carte. We tried this ala carte Pork and beef with unli side dish (awesome) Plus, they have the most energetic crews ♥

My go-to Korean place, every week or every other week if I’m busy. Great cuts of meat, a nice selection of side dishes, and courteous & attentive servers.

An order of woo-samgyub and pork galbi with two orders of rice is enough for two people that are moderately hungry, though I’m yet to try the other items on the menu. They will keep the egg soup and other side dishes coming as long as you still have meat.

Make sure you go straight to the security guard to have your name taken to have a seat. The one on shift today was a bit choosy in attending to guests but nonetheless, we did not wait too long to get a table.

Menu is per ala carte order and you have to order at least three kinds of meat to start.

Service is superb. Once you get seated, all the unli side dishes will be brought to your table: egg, kimchi, soup and other three dishes. However, there are no sweet potatoes unlike others. Also, I was surprised that the rice is not included in the unlimited sides, instead it will cost you P50 per cup 😱

Food was okay, the pork galbi was the one I enjoyed the most in terms of taste and size. Next would be the samgyeopsal.

Minimum of P1000 per table 😊

This Makchang across the Adriatico St. side entrance of Robinsons Place is THE branch to go if craving for grilled korean beef or pork (sorry, no seafood). The only korean place in Manila, in my experience, that serves (on request) perilla (shiso) leaves instead of the more common lettuce wraps.
Banchan side dishes varied & refilled even without asking for it.

So far this is the best authentic Korean cuisine I’ve tasted. :) Yum yum. 🍜🍜🍜. You should try pork or beef galbi :) I have zero to say. You guys should try it.. Very worth it :)

Makchang
With the restaurant name as our guide, we just had to try their exotic Makchang, which was mostly chewy, then crunchy outside from the grilling. We liked it enough to have a second round so if you're adventurous, I'd recommend this.

Beef Galbi
Among the meats we ordered, this is my favorite for its softness and sweetness. This ran out pretty fast!

Samgyeopsal
It's our all-time favorite everytime we go for Korean grills. Theirs was memorable for being crunchy, similar to chicharon or fried pork skins but cut very thin.

Service
It was pretty good but a bit of extra effort was needed to call servers' attention. There were times where everyone was in the kitchen or elsewhere.

Ambience
They have many tables. Place looks more casual than classy and it's pretty cozy. Upon entry, you'll smell barbecue. Upon leaving, you'll definitely smell like barbecue!

I went here 2 days ago with my friend. The ambiance is relaxing since there were not much people when we dine. The location is very accessible. They do not have the unli package. They only have ala carte. The food is good. The waiters are nice and friendly. They are very attentive to your needs. I will surely come back :-)

One of the Korean Barbeque Collections in Zomato, Makchang is the first authentic Korean restaurant I've been to. Unlike their branch in Malate, this one is not 24/7 open but still they can cater a lot of people during their 11am-5am operating hours.

After lining up for a few minutes, we finally indulged to the Samgyeopsal and Pork Galbi. I love their Kimchi, spiciness and fermentation is just right. They have unlimited refills for the side dishes so I didn't even bother having rice.

The service of the staff is remarkable, it would seem that you are in Korea. Also, the interiors are so much of a local restaurant in Korea. This occurrence really deserves a repeat!

Don't let the ambiance fool you, Makchang is a great place to get quality Korean food. I really like their the serving size in this restaurant. They give you more meat compared to the surrounding Korean restos. Excellent value for money (aside from the limited selection of side dishes)

Been living in this part of Metro Manila for a month now. Intially visited the Malate branch and was very disappointed. When a branch recently opened across Robinsons, on the Adriatico side, was happy to find the Makchang of the rave reviews. A clean, well-lit place w/loudly cheerful, enthusiastic service and tender, savory beef choices expertly grilled over live coals! The unlimited banchan choices vary with each visit (been here twice) but the perilla (shiso) leaves have been consistently present, as well as the beansprouts, soup, egg souffle. Favorite beef cuts of the family: beef galbi, galbi bonsal and LA galbi. You'll also have fun w/the table buzzer that calls for a server with a loud MOOOO!🐮

Fourth Review: August 2018 (5/5)

If there is one restaurant I will never get tired of, it has got to be Makchang Korean Restaurant! 💖 I loved it even during its dugyot days before its renovation, and I love it even more now that it has a whole new look! 😁

We always get their Samgyupsal (Php 300) - the usual liempo pork for grilling in KBBQ places, and LA Galbi (Php 590) well seasoned beef that's super soft and yummy! 💖 LA Galbi is our ultimate favorite, and I urge you to try it too! It may be a bit expensive, but I assure you, it's super worth it. 🤤 My sister and I always request for their sesame leaves, which has a very distinct flavor that matches well with the LA Galbi.

They also give unlimited banchan such as kimchi, spring onions and beansprouts, raddish, and more! They also have great tasting bean paste soup, and steamed egg. 😍

Visit them for your (a la carte) Korean BBQ fix! 🍢

#EatDrinkSplurge

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Third Review: April 2018 (5/5)

Korean BBQ for lunch? Yes please! 😍🤤 Let it be known that I never refuse a good Korean BBQ meal. So when my sister and brother-in-law visited us last Sunday, I reminded my sister that she promised me we'll eat at Makchang Korean Restaurant soon. And because she loves me so much (HAHA), she let go of her Yellow Cab cravings and we went to Makchang to have lunch. YAY! 💜

Makchang Korean Restaurant in Ermita (the one across Robinson's Place Manila) is my go-to KBBQ place of all time. I remember having my first ever KBBQ meal here, way before the Korean restaurants sprouted like mushrooms on a sidewalk. And from then until now, this is still my favorite. ✨ They underwent a major renovation late last year, and I can say that the ambiance have improved a lot since then. 😊

My mom, my sister, and I always get their LA Galbi and Samgyeopsal, and now we have a new convert, my brother-in-law! 💕 I'm glad whenever I am able to share the good news of good food to more people. Good food makes me happy, and I want others to be able to appreciate good food, too!

Because of our growing family, we had to get 2 orders of our staple dishes now, instead of just one:

✅ SAMGYEOPSAL (Php 300) - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
A good samgyeopsal for me is one that has balanced amounts of meat and fat, for a good grilling experience. Makchang has theirs that adhere to this "qualification", and the right thickness makes it even better. Meat is fresh, too. 🐷

✅ L.A. GALBI (Php 590) - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
ULTIMATE FAVORITE KBBQ MEAT FOREVER. ✨ The juiciness of the meat will make you want to eat an order by yourself. I love how this has always been consistent in terms of taste and the cut of beef used. Whether it be a couple of years ago or now, it was, and will always be my favorite. 💜

They serve delicious kimchi, too! Before, I used to be unable to eat kimchi as it is, and I have to put it in my lettuce wrap. But here in Makchang, I am now able to eat it on its own! Slightly spicy, flavorful, and a bit sour -- it's just the way I like my kimchi. 😉

And their bean paste soup! Oh I love it so much. It's like a Korean miso soup. It has some veggies in it, and is always served piping hot. Flavorful, and it will surely warm you up for your meal. 💜

Their steamed egg (a new addition to their side dishes since their re-opening) has gained much attention from us as well. It is so simple, yet the fluffiness of the egg won us over. 🤗 But unlike all the other side dishes which are unlimited, you can only ask for a steamed egg refill once. So make sure to portion it properly. ✨ Not sure if it can be refilled more times if you're in a bigger group, though.

On my main photo: a piece of LA Galbi, with kimchi, spring onions and beansprouts, and their special soy bean paste, all piled atop my favorite sesame leaf. I swear, this leaf is so good and flavorful!👌When eating LA Galbi, it's best paired with this instead of the usual lettuce. ✨

#EatDrinkSplurge

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Second Review: January 2018 (5/5)

My family used to frequent this place a lot before, because of their great tasting Korean BBQ that has great value for money. 😊 At some point though, the place became run-down. We also wanted to explore more dining options elsewhere, so we weren't able to come back for a while.

Mid 2017, I visited the area again to have dinner with my cousins at Hwangso-Ga, and was surprised to find out that Makchang is being renovated. Fast forward to a couple of months after, here we are with the new and improved Makchang and Hwangso-Ga, with a new addition to their chain of restaurants: Cafe Esso.

We were thrilled to find out they were open on January 1, so we started our year right with Korean BBQ! 🍢 We had our usuals, the LA Galbi (Php 590) and Samgyeopsal (Php 300), plus two cups of rice (Php 50 per cup) for sharing. It has the same meaty and juicy goodness from the meats we order before. I always say this, but I will say it again: nothing beats charcoal grilled meats! 😁

One of the things I love in Korean restaurants are their refillable side dishes! Makchang boasts of delicious kimchi, flavorful soup, fluffy steamed egg, among others. 😍❤️ Also, while Korean bbq is often wrapped in lettuce leaves, make sure that when you visit Makchang, you will request for their SESAME LEAVES. This is especially good when it is used to wrap the LA Galbi! 😊 Thank me later. 😁

You don't even have to worry if you're too lazy to grill your meats, as the friendly servers will do that for you. 😉 The service is great, but sometimes the servers can get a bit too friendly. 😅 I'm really glad that they have renovated since my last visit. A loooot has improved already! One of my top recommended places for KBBQ! ❤️❤️❤️

#EatDrinkSplurge

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First Review: April 2017 (5/5)
I've already been here (Ermita branch, the one right across Robinsons Place Manila when you go through the exit near the department store's cosmetics area) a lot of times: with my family, friends, boyfriend, name it! HAHA.

Once you enter the restaurant, you will be greeted with the mouthwatering scent of grilled meat, and a loud welcome greeting from their staff. They have a relatively conservative menu, only offering the classic dishes you'd want to order from a Korean restaurant, but just enough to give you options to satisfy your Korean food cravings. Your grilled meat orders are always served with the following items, which, by the way, are all refillable (YAY): side dishes (kimchi, raddish with the sauce similar to the kimchi's, Korean beansprouts + leeks), sauces (fermented bean paste and sesame oil with salt), garlic, Korean style miso soup, and vegetables (lettuce and sesame leaves [more about this later]). You may also order additional rice for Php 50 per cup, if rice is non-negotiable for you. 😝

I haven't really been that adventurous with my orders though, since I always stick with my favorites:

SAMKYUPSAL (Php 250) - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This is your usual unseasoned sliced pork belly. A classic when it comes to Korean grilled meat, Makchang's version has the right thickness, not too thin lest it gets burnt quickly, nor too thick that it would take a long while to cook. The meat are also always fresh, without the foul smell raw meat sometimes come with. You may dip this on either of the sauces to add more flavor to it.

L.A. GALBI (Php 550) - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Ooops. I think I may have placed an additional star in my rating. 🙊 But it's really that good! These barbequed beef short ribs are marinated and cut thinly across the bones. The right thickness makes the grilling easier, and the prime cut warrants the right juiciness to this dish. The seasoning is also just right, giving enough oomph for this menu item. A MUST TRY! 👍 Make sure to spread on some bean paste when you wrap this!

Another thing I love about Makchang is their SESAME LEAVES! We usually wrap our Korean grilled meat in lettuce leaves, but once you try the sesame leaves, your life would change. I'm not even exaggerating! Haha. If you get a chance to dine here, make sure to request for it. 😉

If you want to grill your food on your own, you may do so. If not, the server will be the one to grill your food, so you'll have more time to catch up with your companions. Make sure to tip them for their effort, as the bill excludes service charge. Speaking of grill, I love how they use charcoal grillers, vs. the usual electric grillers other restaurants use. It makes the meat yummier, IMO! 😍

Please note though that you should not expect a lot from its ambiance. It's a hole in the wall type of restaurant, with no decorations at all. Lighting is not that good either. But what it lacks in the ambiance department, it makes up for in the food department! 🐖🐖🐖 I love this restaurant! Please go try it out if you're in the area. ❤

P.S.: If you prefer to have Korean buffet instead, you may want to check out their sister restaurant beside, Hwang So Ga. It's reasonably priced (Php 449 - Beef and Pork, plus other Korean dishes), and of course, delicious! 👍 They use electric grillers for Hwang So Ga, though. 😢

It was my first time to try Makchang and since then I've been telling all my friends to go back and eat with me.

We ordered their pork galbi, LA galbi and samkyupsal. They serve good quality meat but I liked the pork galbi best because it's tasty and reasonably priced. The samkyupsal was a little bland and the LA galbi had too little meat for it's expensive price. What I really enjoyed was their spicy spring onion and bean sprout side dish. It added so much flavor to my pork galbi wrapped in rice and lettuce.

In my opinion, everything tasted way better because Makchang uses charcoal to grill their meat. It's also less oily compared to other korean grills who don't use charcoal.

Ask me any day and for sure I would choose Makchang over any eat-all-you-can korean restaurant. 😛

I would give it a 4.5 because of the attentive staffs plus we didn't have to wait too long and the guard was so nice and made sure that the waiting list is in order. This place has the thickest slice of samgyupsal compared to the other korean restaurants I've been to and I JUST LOVE IT! Plus their kimchi is good and people who can't eat spicy food too well will still enjoy it. Will surely come back and recommend this to others.

I went here last night since we're out of choices plus it has a parking space. Luckily, there were seats available when we arrived. What I dislike was that they allow smoking inside the restaurant. I understand that there is already smoke from the grilling station but the scent of the cigarette is very much unpleasant than that of the grill. We decided to change our table to avoid the smell since one of my friends is pregnant. The area where we transferred is a bit hot though.

Even before we ordered, they already served the banchan and soup (yay!). They immediately served our meats as well (thumbs up for the fast service!). Our server was very accommodating and talkative so we really enjoyed our meal. It's not my first time to eat in a Korean restaurant in this area so I tend to compare them. Makchang has fewer options for banchan BUT their meats are of greater quality!! You can really taste the freshness in their meat. The beef tastes like milk (no kidding) and it doesn't have any seasoning or marinade in it!

For meat lovers like me, be prepared to pay a bigger bill since I can guarantee that you will crave for more! 😂 We had four orders of woo samgyub(?) not sure what it's called but I'm sure it starts with "woo" and samgyubsal. And we really felt full after that even though we did not order rice. (We're three in the group,btw)

Overall, the food was very good but their bachan can be improved. Service was good also. I guess the space and air-conditioning needs improvement as well.

Absolutely one of my favorite Korean restos, with their free condiments, you will sure be full right away, you will just other meat or rice if you want. Their kimchi and onion spring salad were great. Miss eating them. 😁

Probably went back here a millionth times (figuratively) already. This is so far my favorite Korean restaurant because of the high quality meat and one of a kind marinade that they use. Whenever me and my friends are out of choices for a new restaurant, we're always game to eat here instead! My favorite here is their galbi-bonsal, pork galbi, and samgyumbsal--which is very tender and juicy, I'd start devouring it as soon as it's finished cooking. They also offer unlimited sides and soup (my favorite!!!) and the servers are very accommodating and cooks the food really well! Will always go back here!! 💕

This place was newly renovated which makes it a very nice place to eat korean bbq. We were 3 and we ordered Samkyubsal - pork (P300) and Woo-Samgyub- beef (P350) and we could barely finish it since it comes with a lot of unlimited sides. Their kimchi was good and my favorite was the egg soup which comes free also. A nice place for a quick korean bbq fix.

The place is open to smoking though, which makes it not a kid friendly place.

I got a chance to try out this place when it was already closing time at the mall and we still haven't had dinner. Jobert and his parents then decided to eat at this Korean resto.

The service is pretty awesome as the waiters are very attentive, and they even cooked the bbq for us... I think my in laws ordered 4 types of meat, and pretty sure one of them is pork galbi.. I wasn't paying too much attention as I am pretty hungry at the time hahaha! (11pm and I finished lunch at around 1:30 pm)

For appetizers, they served us miso soup with sprouts and the onslaught of kimchi is pretty awesome. I loved the radish kimchi more than the cabbage one, and really, I can live with just kimchi and rice. :)

I love meat and bbq, so this is awesome, although it's my first time to try eating the bbq by wrapping it around a piece of lettuce (fresh and crisp by the way), adding in some kimchi and monggo sprouts, and dipping it in this sauce with a bit of oil. Pretty messy, but I did love eating it like that.

Ambiance wise, it felt like your run of the mill canteen with weird exhaust things at the center of each table. If you're way too OC then I think you should go to the other branch which looks better... This resto would've gotten a 5 from me if it weren't for the ambiance of the place. I'll still definitely come back for more. :)

I’m definitely a person who loves eating out, and discovering new things to surprise my palate. For a few years now, I’ve been going to this Korean BBQ place, Makchang Restaurant (formerly Joe’s Grill) just across Robinson’s Ermita’s Department Store (Women’s Section) ever since my highschool barkada Meryl brought us there. It’s along Adriatico Street, if ever you want to try eating there, you should though, food’s great!

First off, I always love eating in Korean restos because of the onslaught of side dishes that rarely disappoints.

Second, the meat is actually great and eating Korean is best enjoyed with friends or family because thats just how the food is prepared, for-sharing.

The kimchi in this place is no joke. I even loved the kimchied radish. The soup was great until it went cold on me. The lettuce was so fresh and crunchy I didnt mind it (I'm mostly carnivorous and I detest greens with a passion unless I'm going Korean with the food) and finished a whole tray.

You'll definitely enjoy the grilling part. So the pork is definitely affordable and if your budget can go higher then go with the beef because they're divine.

I've been a frequent customer of Mak Chang for 6 years now, and for as long as I can remember, everyone I've recommended this resto to has always had good feedback. It's a hole in the wall Korean BBQ Restaurant which offers meats at affordable rates. As is common in Korean BBQ restos, there's a minimum amount of meat/dish orders, as all of the dishes are unlimited. For example, there's a minimum of 2 orders for a group of 2-3, minimum of 3 for a group of 4, minimum of 4 for a group of 5, and so on.

Highly recommended: Pork or Beef Galbi

What I've tried:
Pork Galbi - really good marinated pork with a touch of sweetness
Beef Galbi - same as the pork galbi, the marinade really makes these dishes stand out.
Samkyupsal - unseasoned pork belly, think of it as thinner slices of liempo
Galmekisal - pork bacon, both samkyupsal aqnd galmekisal are fatty, so can skip these if you're watching your weight
Woosamkyup - unseasoned pork loin, this one was lean, and a little tougher than the other meats, but good as well.

Side dishes:
Napa cabbage kimchi
radish kimchi
spring onion kimchi - my favorite kimchi, I love how this one is the most fragrant and flavorful. It's also the less spicy option
miso soup - a hearty bowl of soup, the miso soup is perfect especially for cold weather. It has an earthy flavor because of the bean paste, and big pieces of kelp for even more flavor. Sometimes this dish isn't available, especially when the resto has just opened, since it takes 3 hours to cook it.

The best way to enjoy Korean BBQ is to eat it ssam style, like a wrap. take a piece of lettuce, scoop a spoon of rice, put a piece of meat, your kimchi of preference, and your own mix of sauces, then wrap it to look like a coin pouch, then eat the whole mouthful.

For the ambiance, it's actually more of a watering hole than a restaurant. A lot of Koreans eat here while enjoying bottles of soju. The interiors have also improved through the years. During my first time there, they had no wallpaper, and had less seats. I really like the service as well, because no matter how full the restaurant is, the servers really take time to tend to your every need as a diner. Also, some of the dishes actually increased price, like the beef galbi, from Php 450 to Php 650. T.T

It's definitely not a date place since eating ssam is so "wa poise", but hey, bring along your friends and family so you can laugh at each other whenever a ssam is way too big for a mouth :))

Tip: There's a private/secret room near the kitchen where you can dine like a Korean, sitting on the floor with cushions and a low long table.

It's a Hole in the Wall Korean BBQ place located in Adriatico St across Robinsons Place Manila. Truth be told the interior of the place was quite sketchy and you wouldn't want to go to the Toilet. I suggest if you need to do so go to the mall instead. But even with all this facts you still go to Mak Chang for the Authentic Korean BBQ Experience.

It's Korean BBQ so you just choose between pork or beef, it's different when eating in Yakimix or other Korean inspired restaurant because for each dish they prepare it always has a different kick to it. Unlike Yakimix there is only one taste of all the meat you it, this has no 'nakakasuya' feel. Like all Korean BBQ places the sides are complementary with a min order or 500 pesos, they have the Spicy Salad which was a winner and all the kinds of Kim Chi you will ever imagine. It differs day to day. We would always order the Beef/Pork Galbi it's their best seller on the menu. You may order the Mak Chang I think those are beef intestines so if your adventurous go for it. For the price of 200-300 pesos per person it's really worth it!

I'd prefer the Macapagal branch it's cleaner than the one in Malate and they also serve the Egg cooked in stone pot! I have brought a lot of friends here and will continue to do so!

My friend and fellow foodie Maldita dragged me kicking and screaming ( joke!) to this small resto. This was my first Korean restaurant and I had a great experience!

We ordered both the Samgyupsal and the Pork Galbi, both worth 250 pesos each. While we were situating ourselves and I was checking out the place, the servers started bringing these little plates filled with kimchi, sauces, garlic, pickled green onion leaves, and green leaves. Wow, they are fast!

One of the wait staff then started setting up the grill at our table and offered to cook our meat for us.

Meat was expertly cooked (of course, they did it!) and I had awesome fun wrapping up each piece of meat in the leaves which they gladly replenished a couple of times.

The resto has no frills...just straight up round tables with a grill in the middle. They also had only a few selections in their menu but what they had were all good!

In all, I went back to that restaurant a couple more times recommending it to other friends as I had such fun there.

It is your typical downtown food dining area with non-fancy chairs and back to basic coal grill that appears very friendly and accommodating. An uplifting feeling envelope you as they say welcome to you in Korean oh-seo-o-se-yo (어서오세요!).

OUR ORDERS:

Samgyupsal 250 Php 삼겹살
This is your usual pork belly or bacon just 1-2 centimeters thicker.

Beef Galbi 250 Php 목살돼지갈비
What’s meat without beef right? Beef galbi are the locally available beef tender strips.

Rice 50 Php 공기밥

One good thing in eating Korean food is you are belly full and yet you feel perfectly healthy. The perfect pairing of meat and greens.

ü FREE Wi-Fi.
ü Cash only.
ü No Service charge.
ü Total Bill 550 Php + Tip = Great Feeling

i'm in love with this restaurant, it never disappoints. i hope they never change. it's the ultimate place for pigging out.