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    Hako

    4.5 (2k reviews)
    Open 11:00 am - 9:00 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Order Hako Takeout or Delivery

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    Business Info

    HAKO ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Good for kids
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Hako

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    Reviews With Photos

    Crunch Roll
    Derek I.

    Great price for the quantity and quality of food. Flavors are spot on for the crunch roll. Katsu breading a little dense but fried really well. Dressing was a bit strong and heavy for the cabbage. Katsu sauce also kinda meh. The shining star was the curry. Nice and spicy and great with the katsu. Definitely would come back.

    Menu September 2026
    Grace K.

    I've had this restaurant bookmarked in Yelp for the longest and finally got to try them out for the first time! Arrived on a Friday night around 5:30 PM and there was already a pretty decent line waiting to be seated. The interior dining area is fairly small, seating about 20 people total. We waited about 20 minutes for a party of three so not bad at all. The service was great, and the staff was super friendly and attentive. The interior dining area was a bit loud which was expected with how many folks were sitting in there eating and talking in addition to the music above, but it's manageable and nothing super overwhelming. Their menu is simple, but at the same time you have plenty of options. The go to order is obviously the Katsu combinations, which comes alongside a cabbage salad, miso soup, white rice, pickled daikon, and jalapeños, and don't forget their addictive katsu sauce. We tried their Hako Katsu, Hamburg Katsu, Cheese Katsu, potato croquettes, takoyaki, and shrimp tempura. Everything was well executed simple yet with a depth of flavor. Check out my photos for these items! We will absolutely be back and so glad that we finally tried this little hidden gem of a Katsu shop!

    Gyoza
    Fion L.

    Hako is a local favorite in the OC, gaining viral popularity for serving up Japanese classics. After seeing the hype surrounding this spot, we finally decided to give it a try. Our order arrived quickly and was neatly packaged in a beautiful bento-style box, making for a great first impression. **Curry Tonkatsu: 5/5** The tonkatsu was the highlight, with golden, crispy breading and a pronounced crunch in every bite. The curry had a bold, deeply savory taste that complemented the cutlet exceptionally well. Steamed rice cut through the richness, while the crunchy cabbage salad provided a light, refreshing contrast. A side of pickled radish and jalapeños added a bright acidity, with the creamy, tangy katsu sauce pairing perfectly with the fried cutlet. Portion sizes were impressively generous, leaving plenty to enjoy later. We also upgraded to a combo with a California roll and gyoza, though both sides were fairly unremarkable by comparison. **Tanuki Udon: 5/5** Simple yet incredibly comforting, the tanuki udon featured a warm broth with a delicate sweetness and plenty of umami depth. The noodles were thick, chewy, and bouncy, making them especially satisfying to eat. An assortment of toppings further elevated the dish, layering in complex flavors and contrasting textures. Overall, Hako absolutely delivered with its delicious, well-executed dishes and is a must-try for anyone craving a hearty Japanese meal.

    Nabeyaki Udon - amazing!
    Deb G.

    Oh man, this place was awesome! My mom wanted to try it, as the last time she had visited my aunt in Irvine they tried to go and found a line out the door. I was kind of shocked because my mom is not an adventurous eater, but for some reason she wanted to try it. I put my name on the Yelp-powered waitlist (go Yelp!) and we got in after only a 15 minute wait. We had an excellent server. She took great care of us and answered my mom and aunt's many questions. We started with the mix tempura, which was great. The breading was light and crispy - my fav was the kabocha squash. We also got a veggie roll for the table, which was fine. My mom got the chicken Katsu, I got the nabeyaki udon, and my aunt got the zaru soba. When they came out, it was obvious we had ordered too much food. The katsu was huge! The udon was huge! The soba was huge! You get my point. Let me tell you, I now know why this place does such a brisk business. Not only are the portions huge, but they are delicious. The Katsu was fantastic - crispy, perfectly breaded and cooked, with a barbecue mustard sauce that was to die for. And my udon was simply amazing. It was stuffed to the brim with noodles and vegetables, as well as fish cake and shrimp tempura. The broth was amazing. It comes in a sizzling, hot pot, so the presentation was fun too. I also liked the broth that came with the buckwheat noodles. We walked out with so many leftovers, which were actually pretty fantastic the next day. I'm so glad we stopped in and tried this excellent restaurant.

    Curry Katsu
    Laura J.

    Came here around noon on a Saturday, and waited around 30 minutes for seat, once seated the food came out fast. Probably one of the best pork katsu I had. I got the the curry tonkatsu, it's a classic tonkatsu meal that comes with rice, miso soup, curry on the side, some slaw and two giant pork katsus. I thought the portion sizes were very decent for the price and what you get. I was really surprised by how thin and crispy the tonkatsu was while still being tender and juicy inside. I like that they had the curry on the side so that the katsu doesn't get soggy, and acts more like a dipping sauce. The other dipping sauce for both the katsu and the salad was also delicious and tasted like an extra tangy thousand island sauce.

    Curry Tonkatsu
    Hailey T.

    Wowwww. This is such a great spot for quality, fresh food that's fast and affordable. Great cute spot to eat at too. Got in and was seated immediately. Granted, it was at 2p. Order was taken immediately. I ordered the Curry Tonkatsu. The food came out so quick! Within 5 minutes. Large portions and with a wide variety of sides. It actually reminded me of what a typical plate looked like when I ordered katsu in Japan. The katsu was large and crispy. The crunch was thin and satisfying. The curry is a great addition to dip the katsu in or pour over your rice. The salad was fresh and crunchy. Overall, it was a great experience. I'd highly recommend.

    Salmon Sashimi Salad
    Amy N.

    Great place for katsu. Get there and be prepared to wait. Unless you arrive during off time- even so just be prepared to wait :) We waited a good 25 minutes on a Saturday at 2pm thinking it was an off time. We tried curry tonkatsu and salmon sashimi salad. Both were very good! The katsu is perfectly cooked and crispy- topping it with curry sauce and it also comes with a side of rice making it a perfect bite. The portion is huge! Definitely can be shared amount 2 people. The salmon salad was also very good- salmon sashimi was fresh too.

    Curry Tonkatsu, Hako Tonkatsu
    Viv N.

    Solid katsu spot with big portion sizes!! Great for sharing or taking home leftovers. We ordered the curry tonkatsu and the hako tonkatsu which were both delish! Love the peanut sauce as it reminds me of the one my mom makes for spring rolls. Each set comes with miso soup, white rice, peanut dipping sauce, and a side of jalapenos and radish. For reference, the hako tonkatsu was around $14 while the curry tonkatsu was $17. There usually is a crazy wait so I've been avoiding coming here but luckily, my friend and I came before the dinner rush. We had a 10-20 minute wait for a 4:30 pm arrival on a Friday. Also, there's no time limit per table but I noticed we got a few stares or glances from the owner/manager. It seems they're anxious to seat customers due to the limited seating...but we were only there for an hour which I think is pretty reasonable. Just something to be aware about!

    ZoEy H.

    It's been so long since the last time I had Zaru Soba, he brought me here and I dived for it. Everything hits the spot, and brought back good memories from the past 10 years. Little cute spot serves varieties of katsu, sushi roll, and noodle. This place packed up and long line, but worth the wait, I have patience for it :) . The service is very attentive. I would be back whenever I could drive again. Located in strip mall, plenty of parking.

    Austin B.

    Large portions and fair prices. Service was great too but it is very crowded so get there early. Expect a wait. Rather small interior Sauces and sides were great. Definitely Korean inspired. I wikl say I like the katsu itself better at kagura in Costa Mesa. But as mentioned earlier - basically everything else is better here. Salad had a more creamy mayo based sauce and I typically prefer a ponzu based one but that's just personal preference. Agedashi tofu was pretty standard. Very ginger forward which was nice. Udon came out piping hot and had a lot of umami flavor from the mushroom.

    Chicken Katsu with added California Roll
    Karey R.

    Delicious! Come during off times to avoid a wait, add Curry to whatever you get and be happy because you get to eat the yumminess! Yes, you sit close to other parties, but you have enough room to get in between the tables so not too close. It is close enough to know all about the people's life next to you.... I really hope Tom calls you back btw. The katsu sauce is not a dark sauce that you might be used to, it tastes like a peanut sauce, I prefer the curry to eat with katsu. The chicken and pork are both good, the adjacent table to ours got the cheese katsu and that looked delicious as well. The sushi is skippable in my opinion, but don't let me stop you.

    Veg and shrimp tempura appetizer
    Audrey G.

    Hako has had people waiting outside each time we've tried to go for dinner- and now I know why! Three of us went for dinner and we ordered two appetizers and three dinners and we had another dinner and part of lunch for the next two days. As appetizers we ordered a vegetable roll and vegetable and shrimp tempura. The roll was filled with fresh veggies and avocado. The tempura consisted of 3 shrimp and sweet potatoes and squash and other things i don't recall. Both appetizers were really good. Diner 1 had cold buckwheat noodles; they were served in two swirls on a plate and looked lovely! They came with a bowl of a yummy sauce with ice in it to keep the noodles cold while dipping. Very tasty. I ordered the chicken katsu dinner that came with miso soup, pickled daikon, a cabbage salad, rice and a delish sauce for dipping. The chicken was a tender and juicy and the panko coating was crunchy. Everything accompanying the chicken was very good. Diner 3 ordered a bowl of soup with udon noodles, veggies, shrimp and deliciousness! Three meals out of that bowl! Our server, Leewon, was very friendly and very helpful. She answered all our questions and was friendly as well as helpful. This is a terrific little place and worth the wait!

    Chicken katsu with California roll
    Grace T.

    Adding to the numerous 5 star reviews, this place is one of the best restaurants in the area and hands down one of the best katsu restaurants I've visited ever. Highly recommend the chicken katsu and tonkatsu. Portion sizes are huge and you will get full! The sets come with miso soup, shredded cabbage salad, and 2 small sides (yellow radish and marinated jalepeno). The katsu was so crispy, and the chicken katsu was still juicy and tender in the middle. I love that you can add a 4 piece California roll or curry to make it a combo. Service was fast and quick, with our server checking in for more water or if there was anything else we needed. The only downside is the wait, especially for Sunday lunch. Our party of 5 probably waited close to 45 minutes to be seated. The restaurant is small and the tables are meant for parties of 2-4. Anything more than 4, and I would recommend going to another restaurant or visiting during off hours. Katsu isn't usually top of my list when I'm hunting for places to eat, but man, I know I'll be back here multiple times over. 10/10 highly recommend.

    Spicy Curry Tonkatsu on the left and Chicken Katsu on the right

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    Hako Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Hako

    Is this place Japanese or Korean owned?

    It is Korean-owned. I once interviewed here and the owner was Korean.

    I was wondering, what type of dressing is used on the cabbage salad? Thanks!

    I believe thousand island

    What type of cheese is used in the cheese katsu?

    Mozzarella

    View All 9 Questions

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    Curry Do - Chicken Katsu Curry

    Curry Do

    4.5(466 reviews)
    4.0 mi
    $$

    Finally, a really good Japanese Curry spot…read more The girlfriend and I went to the Tustin location while we were in the area and really enjoyed Curry Do. We shared the Ishiyaki Curry and the Burger with Curry and Cheese sauce. The Ishiyaki Curry was REALLY (temperature) hot as expected and the flavor was spot on. The chicken katsu was very tasty, both the chicken and the breading were full of flavor. The curry itself was also very tasty. When it comes to the unique aspect of the ishiyaki, I think it may have been lost on me. The burnt rice mixed with curry was interesting but not sure if it was my jam. That and the curry stayed IMMENSELY HOT for the entire meal which was an unexpected surprise. On the flip side, the Burger was delicious. It's a simple burger with bun, patty, cheese, and grilled onions but it was amazing. The side sauces of curry and cheese were good, but the burger could honestly carry itself without either. If there was one note, it would be maybe a bit more salt on the fries and sauces. The inside of the place is quite spacious with lots of seats. We got lucky and had no wait but by the time we left, the entire restaurant was full. In terms of service, very nice waitstaff. Sometimes a bit tough to catch but that's life when there's a rush of people. Am 100% planning on coming back for just regular curry haha.

    I was excited to try their new smash burger. It looked so…read moregood with their beautiful flyer. They were very nice and helpful. I was so excited to try my burger. It was not what I expected. The meat was burnt to a crisp. Besides meat, there was the bun. Nothing else, nothing more. The cheese sauce was runny and tasteless. The curry was okay. The fries were horrible. They tasted like fry oil and grease. It is obvious, their fryer has not been changed in weeks. It left such a horrible taste in my mouth. I sent them back and asked for rice instead. I tried and tried, but was unable to get that oil taste out of my mouth.

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    Interior. 4/4/2024

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    Karē Japanese Curry - Chicken Katsu plate

    Karē Japanese Curry

    4.5(115 reviews)
    6.2 mi
    $$
    Women-owned & operated
    Locally owned & operated

    Hands down one of our new favorite spots! What I love most is how approachable the menu is--it's…read moresimple without being boring, and the food quality is top-notch. Finding a spot where the food is great and the kids are completely happy is a win in my book. We'll definitely be coming back!

    Quick Take: I'd recommend! The curry is really flavorful and amazing, with their combo being nicely…read morevalued for what you get at that price point. Vibe: This Japanese curry spot is relatively new compared to the Chipotle, Blaze Pizza, and Chick-Fil-A neighboring it inside the UTC plaza. The interior is very clean, nice, and simple, but I opted to eat outdoors with my friend since it was a warm summer night and the AC inside was actually blasting. The tables inside that aren't bar seating are directly underneath the AC vents, which make it feel colder than inteded by staff members most likely. Food & Drinks: The chicken was fully-cooked but still juicy, and the outside was golden brown and crispy. The curry was so delicious, and for the price of a combo, the value you get with the entire set (chicken katsu + rice + ginger + green onion + miso soup + curry + soda can) was great. I already said it, but it needs to be said that the curry was really delicious haha! Work-Friendliness: No outlets or wifi was available. However, bar seating looking out into the greeneries of UTC is nice. If you have a book to read or can do offline work for a little bit, then the bar seating is doable. Be warned that at night, however, you might see big rats roaming around UTC (which is not really within Kare Japanese Curry's control, but still worth mentioning if you want to dine outside at night). Getting There: Moderately busy parking lot, with the parking lot immediately next to Kare Japanese Curry being shared with Chik-Fil-A, Target, and Chipotle -- so it might be busy. If you're a UCI student, it's easy to walk over to Kare via an overpass from the flag poles. There's also an Anteater Express shuttle stop closeby for you to take. Service: Really kind staff! I was a bit confused with their combo deal. I misunderstood and thought that their combo deal would be the same price regardless of the protein that you get with the combo (chicken katsu is not your only option). So when I was going through the self-service kiosk they have up front, I took a little bit longer than expected. However, there was a staff member at the counter that was really nice and kind enough to patiently explain to me what the combo deal was. I really appreciated them since I felt a bit slow that night.

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    Karē Japanese Curry - Inside seating. 9/4/2025

    Inside seating. 9/4/2025

    Karē Japanese Curry - Chicken gyōza plate

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    Cream Pan - Azuki creams  IG: @chow.witme

    Cream Pan

    4.5(7k reviews)
    4.1 mi
    $

    Cream Pan never fails to deliver! Not only when it comes to fresh, delicious bakery items but also…read morefor savory meals at reasonable prices. The portions across the board are generous, high-quality, and worth every penny.  As you can see from my previous review, their chicken katsu is one of my faves. It is crisp on the outside, and tender on the inside. It's a generous portion with plenty of Japanese curry sauce, and I love the pickled red ginger. There is a kiosk available from 9:30 to 5 pm, where you can now order and pay for their katsu items. I believe the Chicken Katsu Curry was around $17.99. You need to show the receipt when they call your name. I also picked up a couple of sandwiches. The Tuna Butter Roll hits the spot for a quick, comforting lunch. It is packed with creamy tuna, cucumber, and tomato slices--at just around $3.50, it's an incredible value. The Sandwich Box assortment (egg, ham, turkey, tuna) gives you a little bit of everything, making it perfect for a satisfying light lunch on the go. If you're looking for hearty portions at reasonable prices, Cream Pan continues to hit the mark every single time.

    Cream Pan is a solid staple. I haven't tried most of their items, but have tried a few…read more Strawberry croissants: 7.5/10. What Cream Pan is known for, to the point where people call this a cream pan. Solid and I prefer their pastry cream over the whipped cream that a lot of places use. You can easily buy as a set. The more you buy, the larger the discount. It feels like it's gone through shrinkflation though. Also not as good as it used to be. Adzuki cream: 10/10. The hidden star of the place. Absolutely phenomenal. Great flavor. The whipped cream is slightly too sweet but amazing otherwise. Love the red bean in here. There's a good mix of textures. Feels light thanks to the cream. Cream puff: 6/10. Was disappointed by this to be honest. Other pastries I've tried like the one in the photo are just okay. Nothing stand out. Customer service isn't great. Someone cut in front of me and they didn't care. Free parking and plenty of it since it's a large plaza.

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    Cream Pan - Raisin bread ($4.80). 8/11/2024

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    TANAKAYA - Matcha Soba

    TANAKAYA

    4.0(884 reviews)
    4.1 mi
    $$

    I wished I lived closer!! I would be here more often than I probably should if that were the case…read more My friends and I stopped in for lunch on Saturday afternoon. There was a small wait but it wasn't too bad. The store is in a small strip mall of Tustin. The parking situation seems like it can be chaotic depending on when you visit but it was perfect for our lunch time. The restaurant is very clean, everyone is extremely friendly and quick to respond anytime anything was needed, I ordered the Karaage soba set and it was more than enough food for at least 2 meals. The udon and katsu don combo my husband had was also extremely filling but delicious, everything retained their temperatures for quite some time. I really wished I were closer so I could come here more often

    We visited TANAYAKA around 7 pm on a weekday and were seated immediately. There were only a few…read moreother parties dining at the time, and there's plenty of parking available. We love soba, so we were really excited to try this spot and ordered the Soba Sampler along with the Karaage. Unfortunately, the sampler was pretty hit or miss for us. Some of the soba was good, while other portions had a strange, almost soapy aftertaste that made them difficult to eat. The Karaage was where our experience really went downhill. When we cut into it, the chicken was very pink inside and had a soft, almost squishy texture. Both of us believed it was undercooked and weren't comfortable eating it. We brought it to the staff's attention and were initially told that it couldn't be taken back or replaced and that it was supposed to be that way. Regardless, neither of us felt comfortable continuing to eat it, so we set it aside untouched and asked for the bill. After bringing us the bill, the server seemed to notice that we hadn't eaten the Karaage, took the bill back, and returned with a new one that removed it from our total. I appreciated that he ultimately did that, but I still have mixed feelings about how the situation was handled leading up to it. The staff otherwise seemed nice, but between the inconsistent Soba Sampler and our experience with the Karaage, the meal unfortunately left us disappointed.

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    Hako - sushi - Updated September 2026

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