Everything here is just too good. Every dish hits you with the umami flavor. Portion is huge for its price and can be shared among others. I usually order their Katsu Don. Quality remains the same. Tried their lunch menu recently and got an item with cold soba, my cousins begged to go back because they fell in love it is. It became one of my go to resturant in the area. Especially when you have picky little cousins who harder want to try new food. Service has always been excellent and the if you like ducks, youre in for a treat. This small yet cozy resturant is filled with little ducks figurine everywhere. It a simple entertainment for little ones. read more

Cute Japanese homemade meal place with udon, karaage chicken and other dishes. The flavors were good but didn't particularly stand out to me. It's fine to eat here in a pinch and if you don't feel like driving to Little Tokyo. Service is very friendly and had a nice home atmosphere. Be warned that you will leave smelling like food after a meal here, so plan accordingly if you need to head into a meeting afterwards. Small free parking lot is available. read more

Ducks - Curry udon - Japanese Curry Near Me - San Gabriel, California

This is a nice small spot for anyone craving comfort Japanese food. The highlight of my visit was the pork katsu with curry. The katsu was nicely cooked and the savory curry sauce mixed nicely with the rice and katsu. If you're hungry, you will make the plate spotless. The mochi udon was okay. The chewy mochi pieces add a fun texture to the dish, paired beautifully with the thick and flavorful udon broth. It's a unique twist, but wouldn't get it again. Service was warm and friendly, and the vibe is nice and casual. It does get a little busy during weekend and lunch hours! read more

Food was good, but not something I feel the need to return for. We ordered the katsudon, tempura + udon set, and the karaage yaki udon. Everything tasted fine, but maybe my expectations were a bit high -- I had just come back from Japan, so the difference in quality and the price jump likely influenced my experience. Ambience was great, and the server was very attentive -- checking in frequently, which was appreciated, though at times it felt a little overbearing and interrupted the flow of the meal. Overall, a solid spot with decent food and great service, but nothing particularly memorable for me. read more

See all

Pass by Ducks over decades and never have a chance to visit it. Have a sudden craving for tempura soba and their name show up on Yelp search. It was just OK and their portion is so small (2 shrimps and some vegetables) and price is almost double and not as good as Hannosake in West Los Angeles ( 3 shrimps with more vegetables and warm saurce for tempura, cold source for soba). Staff are friendly. Without yelp no way we can improve or have a voice - thanks yelp - happy new yr good folks read more

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

See all

My favorite Japanese comfort food restaurant! A real hidden gem! So delicious and perfect for cold weather. I highly recommend their tempura appetizer or tempura bowl, the ebi fry donburi, and the tonkatsu donburi. Their tempura is so good here! And the donburi with the egg and sweet soy sauce mix is one of the best donburis I've had in the area. Price and portion is good. Highly recommend this place! read more

The cold soba and tempua combo and it was so good! Perfect for a warm day. The restaurant is small so it can get crowded pretty quickly, same goes for the parking lot. We beat the lunch rush and saw the line down the strip mall. The waiters are attentive but since it can get so packed you might have to wait. Food came out in decent timing, it seems that the tempura is made to order so it was hot and crispy. read more

Veggie tempura cost $10.50 and 2 of the pieces were cilantro.... Speechless. Mini curry rice had 2 nuggets of chicken only. Plain udon had 2 pieces of tofu and 3 slices of green onion which cost $10. Can't believe it........... read more

Ducks - Veggie Tempura - Japanese Curry Near Me - San Gabriel, California

The duck figurines brought me in but the food is what's kept me as a returning customer. I love this place. It feels like I'm eating my grandmas food from home it's so comforting and as a someone who's Japanese there's so few restaurants that truly give me that home style vibe and this place is one of them. The mochi udon soup is a must, their donburi bowls are delicious, and their teriyaki eel is so good. read more

Ducks - Japanese Curry Near Me - San Gabriel, California

This is a very casual restaurant with cute duck decorations. Nothing is fancy, from the menu to the decor. Te food is basic, but also absolutely delicious! I got the tonkotsu ramen and enjoyed the rich noodles. My boyfriend had the mild chicken curry and enjoyed how flavorful it was, but said it didn't have any kick. read more

Even with the wintery temps and drizzly weather, there were 3 people waiting outside the restaurant when I arrived. The wait wasnt long. Inside the restaurant they are able to rearrange tables quickly to accommodate guests. I ordered the hot udon and mini curry (I ordered chicken for my curry - you can have beef, chicken or plain). The udon was perfectly made and both dishes arrive steaming hot. The udon soup is wonderfully understated at first, and then the umami flavor makes its presence known in your mouth for a delightful tasting. The chicken in the curry was chunky and split up easily with a spoon. Loved both dishes. The turnover for tables was pretty fast. For the check, they bring a POS device to your table so you can check out with a card. But, they also accept cash! I had a great experience, and just the right meal for a cold, drizzly day (or any time!). read more

first time going to ducks despite living so nearby. it was so authentic and delicious! i love katsu and didn't really know where to go so ducks was perfect for my cravings. the tempura was yummy as well. i need to come back and try other dishes. the service was quick and the restaurant felt so homey! read more

Ducks - Japanese Curry Near Me - San Gabriel, California

See all

Is a nice Japanese restaurant in San Gabriel i had small combo with tempura. The taste was excellent and it wasn't oily on tempura. read more

Ducks - Japanese Curry Near Me - San Gabriel, California

Service by the owner was really good and friendly, I asked why "ducks?" And she shared us that their family used to go to the park and feed the ducks together. And now they are feeding us. (Me: So we are the ducks?) Yes. Lolz. My daughters liked that there was a bunch of Japanese comics to flip through. My daughter wanted to get the big bowl of udon a la cart but she got the combo instead, no big deal, she enjoyed the mini curry nevertheless. Cute atmosphere with a lot of mini rubber duckies on the window-still. My friend enjoyed her Tonkatsu and commented it was "tasty." For me, since I'm doing carnivore I omitted the salad and rice so my rib eye was a little small for me, maybe add an option for a bigger piece? All in all a good place for simple, comfort Japanese food. read more

See all

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

See all

Sadly this one time favorite place for japanese comfort food has steadily declined over the place several years. The food is inconsistent, service has degenerated to being combative at times and decor is no longer neat, clean or attractive. Have to cross this place off my list after 15+ years... read more

Had this place bookmarked and with high expectations, was so disappointed. Unbookmarked and would not recommend it. The place is not big and they do not take reservations. The service makes you feel rushed to finish your meal. Foodwise, the cold noodle is bland, there's nothing in the udon soup and the broth is so salty. There were two small pieces of chicken in my curry. The fried dumplings had way too much batter and was also bland. I think they put all their salt into the udon soup broth. The pork katsu was underwhelming in both taste and portion. Wasted an hour and a half round trip in traffic to try this place. Wouldn't come back if it was in my backyard. read more

Ducks - Udon soup with super salty broth. Pork katsu was unfulfilling. - Japanese Curry Near Me - San Gabriel, California

See all

Cozy Homely Japanese spot. Great hole in the wall. Would suggest turning on the ac higher. This time we ordered the curry patsy and curry chicken katsu along with the chicken kaarage. Both were good, the only complaint on the curry katsu's would be the thick batter, and not enough chicken. read more

Ducks - chicken katsu curry - Japanese Curry Near Me - San Gabriel, California

Good food, good service, casual ambiance. We stopped by because it was close to where we were. My daughter loves the noodles texture. I love the light and crunchy tempura with soba. read more

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

Fairly decent Japanese diner in SGV. Serving up easy lunch style food like noodles (soba, udon), rice bowls, cold noodles, katsu, and spaghetti. I got the spicy beef spaghetti (soup) as it says spaghetti on the building's sign so I would assume it was a speciality. The flavor was ok but the portion size was not very large. Based on the katsu and mochi udon as well, it seems like most dishes here are ok but not anything special. read more

See all

This place has delicious Japanese curry, light and airy chicken karaage with a delicious spicy dipping sauce, crispy chicken katsu and tasty soba noodles. The service was friendly and efficient. Try this place is you're looking for a restaurant with tasty Japanese food along with a homey, family feel. read more

See all

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

See all

Service was excellent at this very reasonably priced Japanese restaurant. I was very impressed with the fun atmosphere and the personable staff. Food was great! I was super pleased and surprised at the robustness of the chicken soup- large chunks of chicken and super tasty broth! The ribeye was tasty and seasoned well and super reasonably priced. It could have been more tender but still very well done. The amount of food was surprising as well with what we paid- the Chicken Karage was the best I've had. You may have to wait because it's a small sized dining room but you will be happy you did! read more

See all

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

See all

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

See all

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

See all

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

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

See all

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

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

See all

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

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

See all

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

See all

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

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

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

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

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

See all