diff --git a/goldens/cdk/menu/index.api.md b/goldens/cdk/menu/index.api.md
index 43399c063e66..bc07c92e333e 100644
--- a/goldens/cdk/menu/index.api.md
+++ b/goldens/cdk/menu/index.api.md
@@ -138,6 +138,7 @@ export class CdkMenuItem implements FocusableOption, FocusableElement, Toggler,
     getLabel(): string;
     getMenu(): Menu | undefined;
     getMenuTrigger(): CdkMenuTrigger | null;
+    protected _handleClick(event: MouseEvent): void;
     get hasMenu(): boolean;
     isMenuOpen(): boolean;
     // (undocumented)
diff --git a/src/cdk/menu/menu-base.ts b/src/cdk/menu/menu-base.ts
index 6c050c81868b..42fae274aac6 100644
--- a/src/cdk/menu/menu-base.ts
+++ b/src/cdk/menu/menu-base.ts
@@ -196,7 +196,11 @@ export abstract class CdkMenuBase
 
   /** Setup the FocusKeyManager with the correct orientation for the menu. */
   private _setKeyManager() {
-    this.keyManager = new FocusKeyManager(this.items).withWrap().withTypeAhead().withHomeAndEnd();
+    this.keyManager = new FocusKeyManager(this.items)
+      .withWrap()
+      .withTypeAhead()
+      .withHomeAndEnd()
+      .skipPredicate(() => false);
 
     if (this.orientation === 'horizontal') {
       this.keyManager.withHorizontalOrientation(this.dir?.value || 'ltr');
diff --git a/src/cdk/menu/menu-item.spec.ts b/src/cdk/menu/menu-item.spec.ts
index 698e331ba72a..1eade63e3cc3 100644
--- a/src/cdk/menu/menu-item.spec.ts
+++ b/src/cdk/menu/menu-item.spec.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import {Component, Type} from '@angular/core';
 import {ComponentFixture, TestBed} from '@angular/core/testing';
-import {dispatchKeyboardEvent} from '../testing/private';
+import {dispatchFakeEvent, dispatchKeyboardEvent} from '../testing/private';
 import {By} from '@angular/platform-browser';
 import {ENTER} from '../keycodes';
 import {CdkMenuModule} from './menu-module';
@@ -44,6 +44,33 @@ describe('MenuItem', () => {
       expect(nativeButton.hasAttribute('aria-disabled')).toBeFalse();
     });
 
+    it('should toggle a class when the item is disabled', () => {
+      expect(nativeButton.classList).not.toContain('cdk-menu-item-disabled');
+
+      menuItem.disabled = true;
+      fixture.changeDetectorRef.markForCheck();
+      fixture.detectChanges();
+
+      expect(nativeButton.classList).toContain('cdk-menu-item-disabled');
+
+      menuItem.disabled = false;
+      fixture.changeDetectorRef.markForCheck();
+      fixture.detectChanges();
+
+      expect(nativeButton.classList).not.toContain('cdk-menu-item-disabled');
+    });
+
+    it('should prevent the default click action when clicking on a disabled button', () => {
+      menuItem.disabled = true;
+      fixture.changeDetectorRef.markForCheck();
+      fixture.detectChanges();
+
+      const event = dispatchFakeEvent(nativeButton, 'click');
+      fixture.detectChanges();
+
+      expect(event.defaultPrevented).toBe(true);
+    });
+
     it('should not have a menu', () => {
       expect(menuItem.hasMenu).toBeFalse();
     });
diff --git a/src/cdk/menu/menu-item.ts b/src/cdk/menu/menu-item.ts
index 58ed42e5b5d7..45ecaf9822f2 100644
--- a/src/cdk/menu/menu-item.ts
+++ b/src/cdk/menu/menu-item.ts
@@ -40,11 +40,12 @@ import {eventDispatchesNativeClick} from './event-detection';
   host: {
     'role': 'menuitem',
     'class': 'cdk-menu-item',
+    '[class.cdk-menu-item-disabled]': 'disabled',
     '[tabindex]': '_tabindex',
     '[attr.aria-disabled]': 'disabled || null',
     '(blur)': '_resetTabIndex()',
     '(focus)': '_setTabIndex()',
-    '(click)': 'trigger()',
+    '(click)': '_handleClick($event)',
     '(keydown)': '_onKeydown($event)',
   },
 })
@@ -181,6 +182,16 @@ export class CdkMenuItem implements FocusableOption, FocusableElement, Toggler,
     }
   }
 
+  /** Handles click events on the item. */
+  protected _handleClick(event: MouseEvent) {
+    if (this.disabled) {
+      event.preventDefault();
+      event.stopPropagation();
+    } else {
+      this.trigger();
+    }
+  }
+
   /**
    * Handles keyboard events for the menu item, specifically either triggering the user defined
    * callback or opening/closing the current menu based on whether the left or right arrow key was