Man Man Unagi - Charcoal-Grilled Eel Straight From the Tank

There are unagi restaurants, and then there is Man Man. Walk through the door at Keong Saik Road and the first thing you see isn’t a host stand or a menu board — it’s a tank of live freshwater eels, imported from the Mikawa Isshiki region of Japan, swimming until the moment your order is placed.

One of the first specialty unagi restaurants in Singapore to bring in live eel and prepare it only upon order, Man Man operates on a simple but uncompromising principle: freshness is everything, and freshness cannot be faked. The result is widely considered the most authentic unagi experience available outside Japan — and the queues have proven it since day one.

Hitsumabushi (from $34)

The headline act and the dish most people come for. Hitsumabushi is a Nagoya-style dish featuring charcoal-grilled unagi served over rice in a lacquered wooden tub, accompanied by a pitcher of dashi broth, pickles, and a plate of condiments — nori strips, chopped spring onion, freshly grated wasabi. The protocol is to divide the bowl into portions and work through three distinct eating experiences: first, the unagi plain with rice to appreciate the pure charcoal-kissed flavour; next, with condiments folded in for contrast and brightness; finally, with dashi poured over the top for a warm, ochazuke-style finish.

Each bite delivers layered umami, with skin that is crispy and lightly charred while the flesh stays tender and packed with rich, smoky depth. The kabayaki glaze — a house tare built on soy and brown sugar — is applied mid-grill and caramelises under the charcoal heat into something lacquered and complex. Diners who have eaten unagi in Japan regularly rate this version in the same breath.

Shirayaki ($27.30)

For those who want to understand the eel itself, the Shirayaki is the order to make. Cooked without the sweet soy marinade, the eel is grilled plain — what the Japanese call “white-grilled” — and served with Himalayan pink salt and a dab of wasabi. It is a purist’s preparation, stripping back every layer of seasoning to expose the natural flavour and fat of the eel. The result is more delicate than the kabayaki, with a clean, almost buttery character that rewards slower eating. Many regulars argue the Shirayaki is where Man Man’s commitment to eel quality is most honestly on display — there’s nowhere to hide.

Kabayaki ($27.30)

The kabayaki is the eel served à la carte, fully glazed and grilled to the same standard as the hitsumabushi but without the rice-and-broth ritual. Each live eel is skewered and grilled over charcoal for around 15 minutes, then brushed with the house tare before being flame-broiled to seal in the juices and develop the glaze. It’s the right order if you want to focus solely on the eel itself — the skin blisters and crisps while the meat underneath remains fatty and yielding. Best eaten immediately, straight off the grill.

Kimo Donburi ($27.30)

One for the adventurous. The Kimo Donburi features grilled eel liver over rice — an underordered dish that quietly earns its place on the menu. Eel liver has a soft, custard-like texture and a mild mineral flavour that sits somewhere between chicken liver and fish — richer than the latter, cleaner than the former. It pairs well with rice and a splash of tare.

The eel spine also makes an appearance on the menu, deep-fried into crispy bone crackers — a smart zero-waste touch that doubles as a satisfying snack with drinks.

Unagi Don ($32.90)

The straightforward option for anyone not ready to commit to the hitsumabushi format. Thick slabs of kabayaki-grilled unagi laid over a bowl of steamed Japanese short-grain rice, finished with tare. Clean, unfussy, and deeply satisfying. The rice absorbs the sauce from the eel as it sits, so the bottom of the bowl is worth savouring as much as the top. A solid entry point into Man Man’s cooking before working up to the full hitsumabushi experience.

Man Man Unagi is the rare restaurant where the concept and the execution are equally strong. The live eels are sourced from the Mikawa Isshiki region, one of Japan’s most respected freshwater eel producers, and the kitchen is helmed by chefs trained in traditional Japanese unagi technique. The restaurant has been recognised with a Michelin Bib Gourmand — an acknowledgement of quality at a relatively accessible price point. Reservations are recommended; walk-ins are possible but waits can stretch long during peak hours. Counter seats facing the open kitchen are the pick of the house — watching the grill in action is part of the experience.

Address: 1 Keong Saik Road, #01-01, Singapore 089109
Contact: +65 6222 0678
Hours: Monday to Saturday, 11:30am – 3pm and 6pm – 10:30pm. Closed Sundays.
Facebook: facebook.com/ManManKeongSaik