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Karē Japanese Curry

4.5 (116 reviews)
ModerateJapanese Curry
Closed • 11:00 am - 10:00 pm

About Karē Japanese Curry

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KARĒ JAPANESE CURRY ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Outdoor seating
Dogs allowed
Good for groups

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Recommended Reviews - Karē Japanese Curry

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Reviews With Photos

Katsu
Annie W.

Portions are decent. Taste isn't amazing but it gets the job done, especially for being fast and casual. Katsu: 7.5/10. It was juicy and not dry at all, and the crust was a little crispy. I feel like it lacked a bit of flavor. Would love if it came with more pickled ginger Curry: 7/10. Not enough flavor. It's a bit bland. I thought it was weird you didn't get to pick a spice level, but they give you togarashi on the side. Beef belly: 7/10. Good flavor but really oily Pork belly: 7/10. Also decent but also really oily That said, I appreciate that everything was separated out, including the add ons. Would I come here again? Not if I were looking for the best. But is it convenient and decent portions and decent price? Yeah. For some reason, the system wouldn't let us email receipts because there was no @ button. Not a big deal, but something to note. The place is cute and located at UTC. Plenty of free parking but it gets super busy since it's by UCI.

Chicken cutlet curry
Jamie C.

I was not expecting much from Kare because it's in the bad juju spot in UTC (ifykyk) but I have to say that it is actually solid curry! I only stopped in because my husband wanted to try it while I refused to and got my regular cha for tea order. Coco Ichibanya is still my top favorite in terms of flavor but Kare is a top second! Their curry is more "spice-y" not heat-wise, but curry spices and not overly sweet like some of the other curry spots around. The portion of chicken cutlet is generous but I wish they had more options for sides or toppings! Just a quick not that this is not your sit down kind of restaurant but more like a boba, quick serve kitchen where you put in your order at a computer up front and your name gets called when your food is ready to be picked up.

Inside seating. 9/4/2025
Sandra L.

The curry here surprised me in the best way. I ordered just the curry side ($5) and rice ($3) because I mainly wanted to taste their curry, which was delicious! It was spicy and full of flavor, which I really enjoyed. Mind you, it is much spicier than typical Japanese curry. I didn't try any of the toppings like the Chicken Katsu, Shrimp Tempura, or Gyoza, so I can't speak to those. Still, I do recommend coming here if you are craving tasty Japanese curry. This spot is located inside the University Town Center. While there is no direct access from the parking lot, it's easy to find right next to the Miniso store. They use a self-ordering kiosk that's simple to navigate, and the staff who packed and brought out my order was friendly.

Beef Belly & Pork Belly plates
Michael G.

Came to UTC while helping out with UCI Move-in and hadn't eaten all day. Debated good ol Chick-fil-A or In n Out and those lines were wayyyy too long so I walked the plaza to see what's around. Came across Karē and it did not disappoint. I ordered the Chicken Katsu and my girlfriend wanted a bowl so we left to order from Gogi and by the time we came back my order was already ready. Sub 10 minutes, friendly service as well. Girl with the red hair made recommendations and gave me the run down on popular items and what not. Chicken Katsu Plate: 4/5 the chicken fried very good, nice and crispy not too greasy either. The curry had a little kick to it but what I would say is that it's missing potatoes and carrots. They give a solid portion of curry as well, served separately in a cup so nothing gets soggy

2 chicken Katsu Curry plates 1 order of Chicken gyoza 2 sodas

Food came out hot and looked amazing. We ordered the Chicken Katsu Curry plates, 2 cans of soda, and chicken gyoza for $40. The rice was nice and fluffy with the chicken cooked perfectly. They used chicken breast for the katsu and the curry sauce was very tasty. Great taste and serving size. Location was very chill and quiet inside. They have self service kiosks if you dont want to order with someone. Will definitely come back for my lunch breaks

Pork Belly
Czarina D.

Pretty good! Not the best Japanese curry and chicken katsu I've ever had, but there were some good things here that I would say round my review up to a 5 star review. The curry itself was better than average. It was tasty, slightly sweet, and had a good viscosity to it. Adding spice was definitely the move! It needed a bit more flavor. The chicken katsu had a nice crust, but was not necessarily juicy (nor was it dry) and wasn't super flavorful. It was just good! I was pleasantly surprised by the other meats, namely the pork belly and the beef belly. THE PORK BELLY WAS COOKED TO PERFECTION. Perfectly browned everywhere and the fat was rendered nicely and evenly. My husband and I really enjoyed it! Overall, pretty good!

Beef Belly Curry Rice Lunch Combo
Mike L.

Whenever I try some place new, I'm always hopeful that whatever I get will end up being really good, but I have to admit I generally expect less from certain types of eateries. Fair or not, fast casual types of spots, while interesting and convenient, usually don't deliver like how a more traditional restaurant usually can. Certainly not an overarching rule, but I'll typically adjust my expectations accordingly. However, with Kare? Pleasantly surprised by how legitimately good the food is, fast casual setup or not! Based purely on its appearance, Kare really doesn't look all that impressive. With just a couple of ordering kiosks (a worker is also on hand to help out) and a fair amount of table and counter seating, this place is definitely set-up for a quick bite and/or for you to grab your food on the go. Similarly, the menu is pretty simple, with a half dozen or so proteins to go with your curry, as well as an assortment of sides for you to choose from. However, as basic and straightforward as the menu may be, the taste of the food here certainly is not! -- CHICKEN KATSU CURRY RICE - Fried Chicken Katsu, White Rice, Curry, Pickled Radish, and Green Onions This was terrific! The chicken katsu was suer crispy on the outside and moist on the inside while the rice was cooked perfectly. As for the curry, I loved how it packed a nice punch of flavor with a smooth consistency. Also, the miso soup was delicious! -- BEEF BELLY CURRY RICE - Beef Belly with Onions, White Rice, Curry, Pickled Radish, and Green Onions So much better than other beef curries I've had! Beyond the fact that it's beef belly, I love how the meat is sliced super thin instead of being left in chunks. Not only did it taste it that much more tender, but it meant capturing that much more curry, too! As delicious as the food is on its own, the other thing that I love is Kare's lunch deal - whichever curry rice dish, plus miso soup and a drink, for $17.99 (+$1 for pork belly or beef belly). I don't know if I'm just too used to paying Bay Area prices, but talk about a fantastic value for something that tastes so good! If the food wasn't enough of a reason for me to come back again and again and again (it is), this definitely gives me even more of a reason now! Kare - see you again the next time I'm in town!

Jenny P.

Located in UTC so easy parking. Place is clean with a modern interior. You order from a kiosk and can self-serve yourself water while waiting on the side. 8/10 Pork Belly ($16): I'm used to the outer layer of my protein being crispy when I eat curry, so I was surprised that my pork belly wasn't crispy. That's my bad for not checking the menu more closely, so I would order chicken katsu next time. The Japanese pickles were a nice touch and the curry was fine, not heavy at all. I ordered takeout, so the curry was on the side.

Spam Katsu & Fried Egg Plate, Chicken Katsu Plate, a side of Chicken Katsu
Laura S.

Kare is another restaurant where you place your order at a kiosk. When I recently went for lunch, David was the one person who interacted with the customers. He has a great personality! He was helpful and added a welcoming human touch that was definitely missing. The food was good, the curry sauce was tasty. We were full after all of the rice and the breaded katsu. It's nice that it's located in UTC, where you can grab a dessert in the center afterwards. (are donuts considered a dessert? Yes they are and they hit the sweet spot!)

Chicken katsu curry
Nick C.

Ordered the chicken katsu curry. Kare's curry is the Japanese curry that has moderate earthy spice, which to me is my favorite style of Japanese curry, not sweet, and the curry itself is thicker which is also my preference. The chicken is alright crispy but pretty thin nothing extraordinary. I think if they had bigger portions with thicker cuts of chicken, this has potential to be a great curry spot.

Melissa C.

My husband and I have been here a few times now when we come up to visit our daughter at UCI, the food here is solid. The curry is sweet and savory, katsu is nice and crispy on the outside, moist chicken on the inside. I like the pork belly as well with an added egg on top. All dishes comes with rice, green onions and pickled ginger served in a compostable container, there are lids available in the front if you have leftovers. You can self order at the kiosk or from the helpful employee at the counter. Seating is available both indoors or outside around the shopping center.

Daph H.

I didn't expect much from Kare Japanese Curry and was pleasantly surprised by my visit! You order from touchscreens at the counter, though there is someone behind the counter to answer any questions you may have. I ordered the chicken katsu ($14), which was served in a compostable tray (much better than the black plastic they previously used) with white rice and some green onions and pickled ginger. The curry came in a container on the side. It was a generous portion of katsu, cooked perfectly, not too greasy. The curry is fairly mild and you can add some spice to it if you prefer more heat. My husband got the vegetable gyoza, which were ok. I think the katsu is a much better choice! Those UCI students are lucky to have a solid curry place right across the street! Plenty of parking in the lot.

Chicken Katsu Curry Combo
Binh L.

I'm always looking for new curry places to try and Kare had been on my list for a while. I got the chicken katsu curry combo for 17.99 which I think is a great deal because it comes with your choice of a curry plate, a drink, and miso soup. The portion size is pretty decent for the price and cheaper compared to other places where you only get the curry plate by itself for around the same price. However, I wish my enthusiasm for the combo value extended to the food itself as well. I found the flavor of the curry to be lacking. The curry was on the sweeter side which is fine, but I wish there would've also been a balance of savory and spice as well. The chicken katsu was crispy, but it tasted plain. The miso soup tasted fine though, you can't really go wrong with that. The dishes here are pretty simple, it would've been cool to have options on the menu to add more vegetables. But if you're looking for a casual bite with quick service that's affordable with decent portions, then I would recommend Kare. There are not many tables indoors but it is located in UTC and everything is packaged in disposable containers anyways, so you could always take your order and dine at one of the tables outside.

Chicken katsu and shrimp tempura

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Karē Japanese Curry Reviews in Other Languages

Ask the Community - Karē Japanese Curry

Hako - Fish Katsu

Hako

4.5(2.1k reviews)
6.2 mi
•$$

[Ambiance & Service] A clean, bright, and modern…read moreJapanese-style casual dining spot. The wooden booth seating and minimalist aesthetic make it very welcoming. It gets quite busy during lunch and dinner rushes, but the floor team is efficient, attentive, and keeps service moving seamlessly.  [Food Highlights] Curry Tonkatsu Set: The pork cutlet is gigantic--golden, perfectly crisped with panko, and remarkably light without feeling greasy. The pork inside stays tender and juicy. Served with a rich Japanese curry sauce, classic katsu dipping sauce, steamed rice, and finely shredded cabbage salad, it is comfort food at its best.  Agedashi Tofu: Golden cubes of lightly fried tofu swimming in a flavorful, dashi-soy broth, finished with scallions and shredded nori. Crispy on the outside, silky and melt-in-your-mouth inside.  Zaru Soba (Cold Buckwheat Noodles): Chilled to perfection with great chew and elasticity. Dipping the noodles into the refreshing savory tsuyu sauce provides the perfect balance against the deep-fried entrees.  Tanuki Udon: Chewy noodles served in a savory, aromatic dashi broth topped with fried bean curd strips and seaweed--light, soothing, and utterly satisfying.

The line can be a bit long even on a weekday evening!! But line moves relatively fast, we waited…read moreabout 30 mins to be seated. We order the pork katsu and potatoes croquettes! Pork katsu: 4/5 wow! So crispy and perfectly seasoned. I've visited hako before and I briefly remember their katsu being bigger; however, on this visit, the piece was slightly smaller but breaded bigger. However, it was very good still and good enough to share between 2 Potatoes croquettes: 5/5 my favorite ever!!! I love potatoes croquettes and I was so happy we ordered this dish. The pieces were big and come piping hot so be careful! I thought it was really fresh and I would definitely order this again Service: servers were great and attentive. It was very fast tho, we didn't finish our meal yet and they already brought out the check LOL

Photos
Hako - Seating

Seating

Hako - Fish Katsu

Fish Katsu

Hako - Rainbow Roll

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Rainbow Roll

Curry Do - Curry over rice with beef belly and a friend egg

Curry Do

4.5(207 reviews)
3.5 mi
•$$

We were the only people there at 5:30 on a weekday. Fast…read moreservice and good food. Serving size is enough for one adult.

Curry Do? More like Curry DON'T…read more TikTok sold me on this place. The food looked great on video, so I figured I'd give it a shot. Big mistake. The cheese sauce was the first warning sign. It was gritty, watery, and tasted suspiciously like something that started life as a powder and met hot water five minutes earlier. Then came the curry sauce. Sweet. Weirdly sweet. Not rich, not deep, not complex -- just sweet in a way that made me stop chewing and think: WHAT THE HELL DID I JUST EAT? Then there was the burger. Apparently this is supposed to be some kind of smash-burger experience, except the burger itself tasted like somebody had introduced ground beef to a sugar bowl. Maybe it was the onions. Maybe it was the sauce. I don't know. All I know is I ended up eating what can only be described as a sugar burger. The fries were forgettable. Not terrible. Not good. Just fries sitting there wondering how they got dragged into this mess. At one point I actually started questioning reality. Are YOU real? Because between the gritty cheese, candy curry and sugar burger, I felt like I'd wandered into a restaurant created by AI after being trained exclusively on TikTok food videos. And then there are the prices. They charge like the money you're handing them is Monopoly money. These are premium prices for food that, in my opinion, isn't remotely premium. Even the atmosphere is strange. There doesn't seem to be much of an identity to the place. The walls and decor feel less like an actual restaurant concept and more like somebody decorated the room with whatever beer advertising happened to be available. Maybe some people love this place. Food is subjective. But I went in because TikTok made it look fantastic, and I left wondering whether the people making those videos had actually tasted the food. TikTok sold me a culinary experience. What I got was an existential crisis with fries.

Photos
Curry Do - Inside

Inside

Curry Do - CHICKEN KATSU CURRY with rice

CHICKEN KATSU CURRY with rice

Curry Do - Chicken Katsu curry rice

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Chicken Katsu curry rice

Kagura

Kagura

4.2(475 reviews)
3.4 mi
•$$

Stopped by around 7:30 PM on a Sunday and had a great experience. There was no wait to be seated,…read moreand the restaurant has a small parking lot with enough spaces available during our visit. Soft music played in the background, and the traditional Japanese decor gave the restaurant a warm, relaxing feel. Our server was friendly and respectful, and the food came out quickly and hot. We ordered the Pork Loin Katsu Curry and the Cheese Pork Katsu. The pork loin was cooked really well, with a crispy, golden crust and a tender, juicy interior. The curry was flavorful and comforting without being spicy, making it an easy choice if you prefer a milder Japanese curry. The Cheese Pork Katsu was also excellent. The melted cheese added a creamy richness that complemented the crispy pork well. Both meals also came with miso soup, which had a clean flavor, and a side of shredded lettuce with dressing that helped lighten up the richness of the fried dishes. Overall, everything was prepared well, the service was great, and the restaurant had a welcoming atmosphere. If you're looking for a reliable spot for Japanese curry and katsu, I'd definitely recommend it and would happily come back again.

9/27 -- 2:30 Takeout Order…read more I placed a takeout order and specifically requested extra salad dressing on the side, which I was willing to pay extra for. When I picked up my order, I even asked if the dressing was included, and I was told that they had put it in the bag. When I got home, however, there was only one dressing included. I called the restaurant to ask about it, and the employee told me that a regular takeout order does not come with dressing. If that is truly the case, does that mean the restaurant expects takeout customers to eat the cabbage without any dressing, while dine-in customers receive dressing with their meal? More importantly, if dressing is not included with takeout orders, the customer should be notified when placing or picking up the order--especially when the customer specifically asked for extra dressing and even confirmed it at pickup. I should not have to find out after getting home. On top of that, the katsu sauce container was only half-filled, despite being a 2-ounce sauce cup. Seriously? Even worse, I found a hair coming out of the sauce container, which is extremely concerning from a food hygiene standpoint. What made the experience even worse was the way my concern was handled over the phone. If you are working in customer service and someone calls with a legitimate question or complaint, there is no reason to be rude or dismissive. This was by far the worst customer experience I've had at Kagura. There were only two tables occupied when I visited, yet the restaurant couldn't even properly handle a simple takeout order. Very disappointing. The manager or owner should seriously consider providing additional hospitality and customer-service training to the lady staff. Regardless of whether there was a misunderstanding with the order, speaking disrespectfully to a customer is not an appropriate way to handle a complaint.

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Kagura - Tables interior

Tables interior

Kagura - Sauce Katsu Sando | $14.95

Sauce Katsu Sando | $14.95

Kagura - Misokatsu

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Misokatsu

Karē Japanese Curry - japacurry - Updated October 2026

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