I tried this for the first time with my friends a few days ago. It was my first time but my friends had been here before. I don't usually get cold noodles but it had been so long, I got the cold soba with mini katsudon combo. The combos are a good amount of food for the price! They don't make soba in-house but it's so flavorful with the sauce. I heard from my friends there that fried tempura/katsu is very good, so I'd recommend that if you're itching for something fried! read more

Ducks - Cold Soba + Mini Katsudon Combo - Japanese Curry Near Me - San Gabriel, California

Probably one of my favorite homey Japanese restaurants in this area! The restaurant is on the smaller side so there might be a wait, but we only waited about 10 minutes to get inside. They have a good amount of options for you to customize your dining experience - I decided on the hot udon and katsudon combo to try more items on the menu. The udon was pretty standard, but I really enjoyed the katsudon! The egg was prepared really well and the katsu had good texture to it. On top of that, the workers were really nice and accommodating (my friend and I got hot water because it was a little cold by the windows). Would definitely come again! read more

Ducks - Hot Udon Mini Katsudon - Japanese Curry Near Me - San Gabriel, California

Located in a small strip mall with parking, this small cozy family restaurant has a pretty good size menu with items ranging from cold/hot soba, ramen/udon, curry rices, egg meat bowls, spaghetti, and combo sets. They even have some lunch specials. The service is friendly and quick. The two servers today worked the full room together. Everything was freshly made and came out hot! Tables fill up quickly but the service is quick to turn over. There is a waiting list of needed. Small cabbage salad- standard style, fresh. Karaage chicken- thin strips of chicken with light tempura like batter w dipping sauce. We liked it. Different from others that I've tried that are more like a popcorn chicken style Shrimp & veggie tempura- light and crispy. Had the carrot, sweet potato, some green leafy item and two shrimp. Flavorful dipping sauce. Chicken cutlet curry rice- comes as mild/medium/hot. Medium was mild. I couldn't taste any spice. The breading was a bit thick. I think they use egg between the meat panko layer and it puffs up when fried. Was a bit thick for me, but still good tasting curry. Katsudon- didn't try it, but bowl was so much bigger than I expected. My friend couldn't finish it. read more

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Very popular, average-priced Japanese "home style" dishes. Food was good and cold noodles super refreshing in the summer. Katsu Don and cold ramen were the stars of the evening. Service was attentive but because of the popularity of the place, we were essentially politely asked to allow the next group to enjoy our table when we were done so its not a catch up and chat restaurant. It's pretty hot inside the restaurant, so keep that in mind in the summer. read more

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Simple menu for homey Japanese dishes Went for the katsu and udon combo. I was a bit too focused on talking and didn't get to eat my food until it had cooled down but the katsu was so juicy! There was a bit too much breading imo, but I liked that they incorporated egg into the panko crust. The udon was cooked al dente and served with a cold dipping sauce flavored with a touch of wasabi. My noodle cravings were definitely satisfied. There was a bit of a wait on a Sunday night, but all in all, not too bad for a party of 2. Service is super quick and prices are very reasonable!! read more

My family has always loved this place. They serve a variety of Japanese comfort foods and have excellent lunch deals. I got the lunch special cold udon with mini chicken curry. The udon was chewy and cold, perfect for this hot weather! My family usually gets the port cutlet curry over rice, they lightly bread the pork and the meat is very tender! We also got some tempura, an assortment of fried vegetables and shrimp. This place has some of the best curry and tempura in SGV! The staff is very friendly and kind. The restaurant is decorated with extravagant ducks and funny duck-themed items. read more

Look at this cute duck! The Peking duck was good, service was fast and friendly! Will definitely come back. read more

Ducks - Look at this cute duck! The Peking duck was good, service was fast and friendly! - Japanese Curry Near Me - San Gabriel, California

This is one of the few places you can still get Japanese Curry in the area and it's absolutely adorable. I love the low-key family friendly style and the Curry is amazing. Definitely stick with the tried and true katsu Curry if you want something classic but they also have some ramen and other options as well read more

Ducks offers great Japanese staples in a generous portion size! Food: I ordered the shrimp tempura + noodles combination with soba substitution. It came with a massive amount of soba, which was almost 2 meals worth, and a variety of tempura. The soba was refreshing. It had the perfect texture, not too doughy or soggy. The tempura was fried well, with each bite resulting in the perfect crunch. Their variety of tempura was a bit unique: two shrimps, bundle of cilantro, fish cake, carrot, and yam/potato. It's my first time having cilantro and fish cake tempura-style, but I thoroughly enjoyed both! The complimentary salad was also light and enjoyable. Ambiance: We came at 12:30pm on a Saturday and there was already a wait with 3 parties standing in line. Although the line seemed a bit long, we only ended up waiting for about 10 minutes before being seated. Make sure to go inside and sign in on their paper waitlist first before standing in line! There were a decent amount of tables inside. The interior is fully decked out in the ducks theme, having (literally) hundreds of different ducks on display all around the restaurant. Ducks has a casual, yet fun vibe to it. Service: All the workers who helped us were very nice! They mixed up one of our orders (we ordered a combination with udon, but was served ramen instead), but we let them know and they let us keep the original order and brought out the udon to us later as well! Parking: The parking lot in front of the restaurant is small, but adequate. We were lucky and found a spot right in front of the door. read more

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A yummy place for comfort food! Came on a Saturday at around 12pm and was seated right away. There's only about 10 tables as it's not a big restaurant, so it was filled pretty quickly. The staff was quick to serve water and after ordering, a salad was provided per entree. I ordered one of the lunch specials and that was the hot udon and mini chicken curry (there is also beef and no meat options), and my party also ordered the mini katsudon and mini tempura bowl (comes with miso soup). The lunch specials are definitely a good deal, and two things for $14.50 is worth especially considering how at some other places a single dish is around that price. The udon was hot and the broth tasted really good and it was slightly sweet. It wasn't too salty! The udon has good texture and is chewy. There also was 2 bean curd pieces that was cut in triangles and it was good and slightly sweet probably because of the soup that absorbs it. As a curry lover, the curry was delicious. There was plenty of sauce, the chicken was not dry. I would say these two dishes as a combo is a win for me, and is for sure just enough for me in terms of portion size. The mini curry is not as small as I thought, it was still a good amount for me. Overall, I really like Ducks and I enjoyed my visit here. It is definitely another place I will want to come back again to, and I hope I get to try their karaage another time and their other food options since they have a lot on the menu! read more

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Service can be a little slow at times but when it's good, it's really good. The food is decent, it's a quick fix for and katsu curry or soba craving. Love their chicken karage and the gyoza; it always comes out piping hot and crispy. As for the curry, I always ask for it as spicy as possible and the man who helps us always brings out his special miso hot sauce that I love. The soba is refreshing and light paired with the fried shrimp tempura, the perfect balance. As for the pork katsu curry, it's packed with flavor and crispy. Every time I come here, I have a dilemma of what to get. It's a small little mom and pop restaurant that has a certain kind of homey feeling to it. The inside is decorated from floor to ceiling with different novelties and not to mention, ducks. I wish this place was open more often because I would come everyday if I could! I definitely want to try more items off the menu but I can't help but order the same thing every time. It is consistently satisfying! read more

Ducks - Extra ginger, as per usual. - Japanese Curry Near Me - San Gabriel, California

super yum! I have been wanting to try cold soba and this place literally eats. I got the lunch combo which came with cold soba and a choice of meat curry n rice. the curry was delish and complimented the soba so well. I LOVE THE SOBA. thw sauce, the noodles, everything was seasoned nicely and not overcooked which was a major slayyy!!! read more

Ducks - cold soba + mini chicken curry combo - Japanese Curry Near Me - San Gabriel, California

It feels like I went to my auntie's house for lunch and she made some curry and soba for me. I dont know how a restaurant gets that home cooked feel so well. That being said, it isnt anything super fancy or unique and I could probably make it myself. Went for the lunch specials of Ramen/Curry and Soba/Curry. I wouldn't wait if there was anyone else in front of us read more

Pretty decent Japanese food inside a San Gabriel plaza (not sure if the owner is Japanese). Despite the name, there's not a single item with duck on the menu. I got the combination hot udon and donburi bowl. Oddly, their oyako-don is deep fried chicken thigh and not sauteed with sliced onion that I'm accustomed to. It's interesting but I still prefer the traditional oyakodon. The hot udon soup is traditional, meaning plain and very salty. read more

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Traditional Japanese food. But I am not that impressed about it. Heard about this restaurant, decide to give it a try. We came on a Sunday afternoon, pretty crowded for a small restaurant. We ordered couple of their famous item. They Katsudon, karaage bowl, tempura, gyoza. The katsudon is ok taste wise. But the quality of the pork cutlet is only ok. It's thin and dried and pretty soggy on top of the rice. The tempura used some very funny ingredients. Apart from shrimp, they also used fish cake(?) and cilantro (yes the whole plant). It just really feel funny Gyoza, NEVER CAME. We asked about the dish a few times. Each time they said that they checked and it will come in a few minutes. After we all finish the food, we asked them again, this time they said that it's "never been cooked or never started cooking". Anyway, we canceled the dish eventually. Overall, it's not a bad restaurant, maybe we just have a bad experience. read more

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Stopped by in July 2024 and tried their oyakodon with chicken karaage and egg for $16.95 Meat was tender and complimented by egg and sweet soy flavors. Katsudon $16.95 or pork cutlet bowl was good and seemed to use the same #sauce but the #chicken actually wins out for me. 勝つ! Both entrees came with a small salad. Had yuzu and matcha cheesecakes (~$8 for two slices) to finish but they made me want more! Not too sweet and is cold -- perfect for summer. Ducks taste like food you can get at diners in Japan and portions are fair. The AC was not working (or just don't have them?) during this meal so gotta take points off for that . The irony of Ducks is that they don't have the bird on the menu, but it is solely worth a visit for their cute rubber duck collection and duck themed decor! They also have a manga corner to browse through with a couple, very fittingly, being food themed! (Cross posted on IG @aycefoodme) read more

If you're into curry then you'll want to come to this comfort Japanese restaurant and order yourself some curry and or a soba dish. In my opinion the batter is too thick but overall it's pretty good. I like the curry enough that I'll overlook the overly battery batter. I got the chicken katsu curry plate. The service was nice and quick so we didn't wait long during lunch time. The place is small though but enough for about 20 people. They have their own parking in this small strip mall. They've been around for many many years read more

Really enjoyed the food and everything else about this restaurant. The lunch specials and dinner specials are a great deal. I had the cold soba, hot udon, beef mini curry, and chicken mini curry from the lunch specials. It literally states that the curry is mini, so don't expect a big portion. The cold soba was nice and refreshing, perfect for a hot day. The hot udon was delicious and flavorful. I can't say that one is better than the other since both noodle bowls were great. On top of those, both beef mini curry and chicken mini curry were yummy. The curry was steaming hot, as it should be. The meats were tender and easy to chew. There is also an option for no meat. Food came out within reasonable timing and the service was friendly. Super glad that I finally checked this place off my bookmarks. read more

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Ducks is a small casual restaurant that offers comforting Japanese food. It's located in a plaza that has parking spaces, however parking might be difficult to find. (Theres an escape room called ducks escape room in that same plaza) We went on a Friday night around 7pm and had to wait 10-20 mins for an open table- it was completely packed inside! And after tasting their comfort foods, I know why it's so popular: The food (comforting!): We ordered the Karage, curry, udon, and Eel bowl. Everything was delicious and comforting, the dishes taste like a traditional Japanese set dinner that reminds me of my time in Japan. The server recommended the eel (unagi) bowl, and it turned out to be the best unagi I've had so far! Worth it for the price. Service (amazing!): The servers were really nice and attentive. They made jokes and gave out great recommendations. They also checked in with us every frequently despite how busy the restaurant was. Overall: if you're looking for comforting curry and Japanese food, I recommend stopping by Ducks for a soul warming, casual meal. read more

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Here's one of those small, blink & you'll miss it, restaurants that's worth the visit! Don't let the name fool ya, they don't serve Duck here (as far as I could tell). Lol. What they do serve are some Japanese dishes that may or may not be familiar to you but I assure you, they are fantastic! They are known for their curry dishes and Donburi (Pork cutlet, Chicken cutlet, Shrimp or beef served on rice with egg). When I visited, I ordered the Chicken curry dish (their curry is like a heavy gravy-type) and my GF ordered the Pork Donburi. While I definitely enjoyed the Chicken Curry, I REALLY enjoyed her Pork Donburi! That would be my recommendation, order the Donburi, Pork or Chicken (not sure about the Beef or shrimp). Next time I go here, and trust me there WILL be a return visit, I'm gonna order their Chicken Donburi! Check this restaurant out. You will not regret it. read more

Ducks - Chicken Cutlet Curry Rice Shrimp Tempura - Japanese Curry Near Me - San Gabriel, California

Had the cold soba with Katsudon, was delish! Came here after spending 6 hours at the rose bowl flea market, so we needed some cold, refreshing soba. Super quick service even though it was crowded. Interior isn't fancy, but otherwise fine. Would definitely come back! read more

Ducks - Cold Soba Mini Katsudon - Japanese Curry Near Me - San Gabriel, California

I love ducks. I love that it's family owned. It is a charming mom-and-pop restaurant. The service was great. The staff were spectacular. The chef and owner Natsumi was so nice and hospitable. She's truly the best! If you think... "It's just Japanese curry. I can just buy those blocks of Golden Curry mix and make it at home." STOP. You don't know how wrong you are! It is 100% not the same. You cannot compete with Ducks. I feel like their Chicken Karaage is different and unique compared to other places with Japanese style chicken karaage. The one at Ducks are not overly battered like others. The way it's fried and battered still has the chicken tasting tender and juicy, while giving that crunch in every bite. I love dipping the chicken karaage into my curry. Another one of my favorites from Ducks are their Cold noodles (ramen). It's so refreshing for the summer, but I would even eat this dish on a cold night. The noodles are chewy. Every slurp was so satisfying. My go-to dish that I always order from Ducks is their Pork Cutlet Curry. I love ordering it extra spicy! The dish also comes with red pickles (?). I think they are called Fukujinzuke. I love adding them to the curry as well. Not only that, but I love dipping the pork cutlet and the rice in the curry too. The pork cutlet was not overly fried in batter. It was crisped enough where you still have that crunch when biting into it and still get a chunk of that pork. I recommend savoring every bite and don't rush. Enjoy yourself! read more

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They have really good lunch deal sets here! This place has been around for a super long time and the food is always good here.

Good food, friendly service. Came here for the first time for lunch on a weekday, got seated right away. I enjoyed my cold soba & mini chicken curry rice combo, my husband enjoyed his karaage bowl (fried chicken with special house made sauce over rice)and tempura. We will definitely return to try more items on the menu. It was a very hot day when we visited Ducks. I recommend requesting a table closer to the back near the AC and fan. It is much hotter near the front door. read more

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No AC today! Only hot fan I would not recommend to come during a hot day. Came here for lunch. Ordered the cold ramen and cold soba. Price around $22-24. More pricy than other Japanese restaurant read more

Ducks - Japanese Curry Near Me - San Gabriel, California

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I came on the weekend since I was craving some good curry. I came here one time a long time ago and totally forgot about this place. Stumble along it again and had to come back. I got the lunch special soba noodle with mini beef curry. Both mini dishes were very tasty and satisfied with this meal. My hubby got the pork katsu curry. The meat was nice and juicy. The curry was tasty, and you can choose your spice level. We really enjoyed our meal and would recommend this place if you like some nice Japanese meal. read more

Ducks - lunch combo (cold soba noodle with mini beef curry) - Japanese Curry Near Me - San Gabriel, California

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Ducks was a yummy food experience for one who is sorely missing Japan! Needless to say they got their ducks in a row! Cold Soba was an absolute hit with a delicate seaweed and sesame broth on this on summer's day. The Karaage was MEGA crispy with a tempura batter that made a craggle-y shrimp chip type of CRONCH The Curry was as good as you can get away from Japan! The katsu cutlet was the most "ok" part of the meal, a bit dry for the pork and the breading didn't stick to the meat. Overall service was quick and attentive and ambiance brings me back to a quaint hole in the wall decked out with a manga shelf and Japanese ducks! I would def recommend for your non-sushi Japanese fix! read more

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Amazing soba noodle lunch special!!! Staff is kind and hospitable! Great miso soup and super delicious cabbage salad!!

Wow! I came in on a Saturday for lunch with a friend and was absolutely blown away by the flavors. I ordered the oyako don and my friend ordered the chicken katsu. The oyako don was genuinely some of the best Japanese food I've ever tried. The sweet shoyu complimented the crispy and perfectly salted chicken bits. The bed of rice it was on was so fluffy. I'm hungry just thinking about it. I tried a bit of my friend's chicken katsu and ended up really enjoying it. Crunchy exterior and flavorful sauce, it hit all the marks of a chicken katsu. The interior decor was adorable! There is a wall of ducks that we were seated next to. Very colorful addition. In addition, there is a manga library with a wall of cat pictures. Again, very cute, very eclectic collection of animals. I think it would be worth going to this restaurant just to check out the decorations. Overall, I will definitely be heading back to try their other dishes. Their oyako don is definitely worth trying. If you are visiting on the weekend, I would suggest you make a reservation as the waits can get kind of long. read more

Ducks - Oyako Don Katsu Don - Japanese Curry Near Me - San Gabriel, California

How have I lived in SGV for all these years but have never been to Ducks?? True to its name, there are a ton of rubber duckies in a variety is sized all over the restaurant, it's rather cute. The soba noodle was solid, the curry was good but not as refreshing as their soba. They do get rather busy, so wait for your food is a tad longer than expected; so I wouldn't come here if you're in a rush! I also love that it's a family run business. There's a medium sized parking lot right outside. Definitely worth checking out if you're in the area! read more

Japanese comfort food - known for soba, udon, and Katsu curry! Family-owned Restaurant tucked into a plaza with adequate parking. I ordered the lunch special of hot udon with mini chicken curry and an oyako don. Entrees come with a small side salad. Good spot to satisfy the cravings for "home-cooked" Japanese food. read more

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Hands down, this is one of my favorite mom-and-pop restaurants in the SGV. They have great lunch specials but overall, the food and service has always been amazing. I especially enjoy their cold soba and tempura dishes as they're always crisp and fresh. This time, we ordered a side dish of the deep fried gyoza, katsu-don and udon combo, and the cold soba and tempura combo. The restaurant is on a more casual and quiet side which I generally prefer. I would highly recommend this place if you love Japanese cuisine/comfort food! read more

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May 2023 - First of all, I pass by this place all the time and have never heard of it! It's super lowkey. Food/Pricing - Chicken Cutlet Curry Rice (mild spicy) - Wasn't spicy at all! Still yummy though! Perfect comfort food. Service/Ambiance - Quick, friendly, and prompt service. The restaurant has (you guessed it) rubber ducks everywhere and has a comfortable home vibe. Parking - Decent sized parking lot. Other business share the lot with them. read more

Ducks - Chicken Cutlet Curry Rice (mild spicy) - Japanese Curry Near Me - San Gabriel, California

Our favorite go to restaurant for Japanese comfort food. The place decorated with ducks everywhere just like the restaurant name 'Ducks'. We always get the Katsudon, it was big portion and very comforting. But this visit, we also get the Chicken Karage, Gyoza and Curry Tonkotsu Ramen. They used the same batter for chicken karage and gyoza. It was crispy and huge. Gyoza was decent. I prefer the karage. Curry Tonkotsu Ramen was okay. Came with 4 pieces of slice chashu and bokchoy. Broth was very flavorful and huge portion. Service was quick. read more

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The mochi udon is good. Can even ask for an extra mochi at extra charge. Service is good. Katsu curry is good. Would recommend the mild curry if you can't stand spicy. Curry spaghetti was also favored. read more

I came here for lunch and ordered the chicken cutlet curry rice. It was good, but portion was a bit small and service kind of slow. read more

Ducks - Chicken Cutlet Curry Rice - Japanese Curry Near Me - San Gabriel, California

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Quick Summary Finally got a chance to try this long-standing Katsu spot and it was pretty good. Solid Japanese food that is made-to-order. Food- 5 stars Katsudon- this was pretty good. Everything about it was fantastic: the rice, the sauce, and the pork cats. Very solid dish Tempura- pretty good but standard Beef curry and soba noodle lunch special- curry was quite good. Pretty standard as well. It's just well-done home Japanese cooking Service- 5 stars Fast casual spot, but the staff was very attentive. Ambiance- 4 stars Casual spot with a lot of room in between tables. The ventilation could be a bit better though (Some oil fumes on my jacket when leaving) Bottom Line Excellent Katsu spot for a quick meal or delivery read more

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I always come here for their soba noodles and they are always so good and tasty. There is also a set where you can get the cold soba noodles with a mini curry bowl as a deal for lunch. They don't ever disappoint. It's always clean and customer service is great. Parking is small, but there is always plenty. If you can't find parking at the parking lot, there is street parking. read more

Ducks - Cold Soba and Mini Curry - Japanese Curry Near Me - San Gabriel, California

I ordered the pork cutlet curry rice and was pleasantly impressed. I chose spicy and surprisingly it was the perfect amount of kick. The outside of the cutlet was also so crispy and paired so well with the steamy rice. I just wish they gave more of the little red radish because it really helped elevate the flavor. I also enjoyed the small cabbage salad, it was a very nice pairing. The service was pretty okay. I went during lunchtime with my friend so it was pretty busy but the lady let us in early since it was just the two of us. I would say the ambiance is very cute and hom-ey. I really don't enjoyed the rubber duckies on the window and the manga book shelf. Overall, the vibe felt like a home cooked meal. read more

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Prepare for a wait if you're coming during peak dining times, but it moves pretty quickly. They're very efficient. Mochi udon - I loved the broth flavor. It's been awhile since I've had such flavorful broth. The mochi was a unique touch that I haven't seen anywhere. i liked the slight crispiness of it being fried while being gooey in the middle. Chicken katsu Curry - fantastic! It's been awhile since I've been wow'ed by katsu curry. chicken was juicy, a very crispy exterior. Wonderful curry. Service: Very fast and efficient read more