I recently checked out Katsu Bar in Irvine with my husband for dinner, and we loved it so much! We were craving something comforting, and this place totally hit the spot. The katsu was super crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside perfectly cooked and not greasy at all. Everything tasted really fresh and high quality. We ordered the Cauliflower Tempura, Katsu Plate, Yubu Pockets, and Original Katsu Sandwich, and everything was absolutely delicious. Each dish had its own unique flavor, but all of them were super satisfying. The portions were generous and such great value for the price, so we left completely full and happy They also have a really nice patio seating area, which made the whole vibe even better. It felt relaxed and perfect for a casual dinner night. The staff were friendly and welcoming, and the place overall felt clean and cozy. Definitely one of those spots we'd come back to when we want something hearty and delicious. Also, I love that you can choose your protein for the katsu chicken, beef, or fish which makes it even more customizable depending on your preference. Highly recommend if you're in the area! read more

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Dill egg salad sando was good. Not a prominent dill flavor. It was a good ratio of bread to egg filling. Not too mayonnaise-y either. The bread could have been a bit more soft. They have a nice selection of other menu items, in case you are dining with others and want more options. It's located in a shopping center, but a lot of parking. Ordered at the kiosk, and employees offered to answer questions and were very helpful. read more

Katsu Bar - Dill Egg Salad Sando - Japanese Curry Near Me - Irvine, California

So far my family is first time 1-food is good 2- The restaurant is clean 3- Service is the best Definitely, we will come back read more

Katsu Bar - This my husband's order is good too - Japanese Curry Near Me - Irvine, California

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Definitely great quality katsu. Tried their new spicy cold noodles with katsu and although I'm not a big fan of cold thin noodles the spicy sauce and katsu were delicious. Service was excellent with the staff taking the food out to you even if you are sitting outside. Place was clean. read more

Katsu Bar - Japanese Curry Near Me - Irvine, California

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Delish delish delish!!! Katsu is super crispy and well cooked and they have so many options to pair it with. This was also the BEST strawberry Sando ive ever had. Been having dreams about it!! read more

Katsu Bar - Japanese Curry Near Me - Irvine, California

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We passed by this location and decided to give it a try after seeing they had some deals posted right by the front door. We decided to try the following: Tteokbokki with Katsu: Thought this was pretty decent for the price. The katsu was perfectly fried and moist. The sauce was not too spicy and have a good flavor to it. Curry with Katsu: It simply is just curry and katsu. There was nothing too special about this one. Katsu still nice and crispy on this one! Korean Gang Jung: We got these in the soy garlic flavor. It was fried chicken with panko and tossed in sauce. I would say this would be a great starter if the chicken on this wasn't as dry. Not sure if this was just small strips of chicken they cut up but it seemed really dry. Overall, I think this place was just average. Nothing really stood out about their service or their food. I don't think I would be returning back here since there are a ton of other food options in the same plaza. I know they do have daily deals if you may be interested in some other items. I can't remember what exactly but they do have a sign right inside the restaurant that seemed like a fair price. read more

Katsu Bar - Chicken Katsu with Curry, Pork Katsu with Tteokbokki, and appetizer - Japanese Curry Near Me - Irvine, California

Quick service! There are two screens you can order from which I liked, then you can sit and wait for the food to come out which they bring out to you. There's also outdoor seating. I got the curry chicken katsu udon and it was quite delicious. The chicken was crispy, I wish I had more! I wish I added an egg as I felt there was something missing from this. read more

Katsu Bar - Black Garlic Ramen with Katsu - Japanese Curry Near Me - Irvine, California

Katsu Bar has a pretty wallet friendly lunch special. Each day of the week has a different special, all at $13 each. I will admit, it is a pretty good deal. We got the curry udon and the katsu udon. Not only is the deal great, but if you're on the go, food comes out pretty fast (about 5 minutes or so). The katsu udon as the name suggest, comes with a crispy hearty katsu sitting on udon and broth. Katsu was on the bit dry side but meaty and delicious. The udon also hit the spot as the day that we stopped by was cold and it had rained earlier in the week. Service was friendly and the interior is a bit small with a self serve drink dispenser. (BTW did I mention that the lunch special comes with a free drink?). Located in the Culver Plaza by 99 Ranch Market, this is definitely a convenient spot to visit if you're hungry and need something fast to satisfy your hunger. read more

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TLDR: 2 stars just for to-go The portion size is definitely smaller for to-go orders, their mala tteokbokki has zero spice or mala flavor, and they don't put the katsu separately, which guarantees a soggy katsu. Make sure to dine-in if you want to go here read more

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First time here for lunch. It seems like a pretty popular place in general. There was one table occupied inside and majority of patrons from this restaurant ate outside. The inside was very clean and bright. The staff was ok when taking our order. As for the food, we ordered a sandwich with waffle fries and Katsu plate. Even though we ate the food right away, it just seemed like it just wasn't hot enough. Additionally, there was not enough flavor and lack of seasoning on the food. Even with the dipping sauces, it just wasn't that tasty. We both did not finish our entrées. Probably will not return. read more

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What I Ordered: Chicken Yaki Udon Rosemary Katsu Sando with Waffle Fries * multiple locations around Southern California 7/10 read more

Katsu Bar - Japanese Curry Near Me - Irvine, California

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Their food is especially comforting during the colder weather that's approaching and they have so many options!! (including some solid veggie options too ;)) You honestly can't go wrong with anything- their menu has a decent variety, and everything is so delicious!! What I got: Japanese Curry Chicken Katsu Plate Rosemary Katsu Sando w/ Waffle Fries (+ Curry Dip) Strawberry Sando Curry Udon with Beef Katsu Bulgogi Beef Yubu Pocket Garlic Butter Shrimp Yubu Pocket I loved all of these tbh The curry is sooo good and these dishes were so flavorful. If I HAD to pick only a couple to recommend, I'd say the Katsu Sando and the Curry Plate + the Strawberry Sando for dessert It was my first time having a Strawb Sando and it was delicious!! The cream was so fluffy and perfectly sweet. Again, all the dishes were really good, so you couldn't go wrong with anything They have some seating inside, but there's plenty more seating right outside! The staff is also super kind I've been once before this time, and it was great, so I was thrilled to be back read more

Katsu Bar serves a comforting and flavorful katsu curry. The cutlet was crispy and the curry was rich. If I were to return, though, I'd stick to the curry and skip the sandwich; the combination of flavors with the rosemary felt a bit off. Service was great, and I enjoyed dining outside in the patio area. Overall, still a solid place when you're craving something warm and hearty. read more

Katsu Bar - Curry Katsu Plate - Japanese Curry Near Me - Irvine, California

Service was great, the staff and Chef were very welcoming! The food had tons of flavor, made to a crisp and we got to try different things just to say we had it. Hands down the Rosemary Sando sandwich was on point! There's tables inside and plenty outside. Tons of parking space as well in this plaza. Menu is very simple, I would definitely come back here to try other things off their menu for sure! read more

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Whether you're craving classic favorites or want to try bold and new flavors, Katsu Bar has it all. With so many variations of katsu, sandos, and Korean fusion dishes, it was hard to decide what to get as we wanted to try them all! What we tried: Yubu Pockets Rosemary Katsu Sando Curry Katsu Plate Shrimp Katsu Rice Bowl Calamari Katsu Tteokbokki- (love the added noodles) Cheesecake They offer daily specials and have indoor and plenty of outdoor seating available. read more

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Went here for the first time the other day and I ordered the Rosemary Katsu sandwich and the Yubu 4 set. The sandwich was good and the katsu sauce I got with it paired well. The problem I had was with the Yubu set, namely the shrimp one. I typically don't have an issue with smaller sized shrimp still having the vein, especially if they are fully cooked, but I feel like this is noticeably unhygienic. The entire tract covers the side of the shrimp and almost 60% of the shrimp on my Yubu looked like the one in the photo. Just wanted to bring attention to anyone wanting to order the shrimp here to just be cautious. read more

Katsu Bar - Yubu Set (choose 4) - Japanese Curry Near Me - Irvine, California

Highly recommend! Ordered the curry katsu plate ($19) and I loved the presentation, which is clearly something they put thought into. The katsu was perfectly cooked and paired well with the curry. The cabbage and macaroni salad were perfect compliments to the dish. Would order again. read more

Katsu Bar - Japanese Curry Near Me - Irvine, California

OVERALL : The one stop shop for all kinds of katsu, fried appetizers, curry, tteokbokki, sandos, and more! I've had Katsu Bar before a while ago, but they added some new items to their menu since my last visit and I think that I liked the items I got this time even more than my last visit. They have plenty of seats inside, self-order kiosks made everything easy, and the food comes out fast. Casual vibe, good for a quick lunch or easy dinner when you don't feel like cooking. Service was kind as well, with the staff member I interacted with being happy to answer my questions, provide togo containers, and keeping the tables / eating area clean. PARKING : Plenty of parking, big parking lot for the Culver Plaza FOOD/DRINKS : Tteokbokki w/ Pork Katsu -- I added an egg and made the sauce Szechuan style -- loved the thick chewy noodles in this dish + the rice cakes ofc and fishcake. The Szechuan style added some additional chili peppers etc that I saw in the sauce, but not too spicy or numbing. On the sweeter side though! Original Chicken Katsu Plate - I upgraded to a large and got another big piece of katsu! Juicy chicken with crispy exterior, rice, cabbage salad, and Mac salad. Plus tangy katsu sauce Yubu Set - garlic butter shrimp, cheese buldak spicy chicken, bulgogi, and spicy tuna -- rice + protein of choice all packed into a little sweet tofu skin Curry Udon w/ Beef Katsu - I got the spicy version which was actually spicy! Thick udon, not mushy at all. Beef katsu was super tender Shrimp Sticks - super crispy on the outside and bouncy, juicy flavorful shrimp on the inside -- think shrimp patty battered and deep fried! Served w a creamy tangy sauce read more

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Ordered the katsu sandwich with waffle fries and a soda as part of their Friday daily special. It was both tasty and a great deal! The chicken katsu was actually massive, and the fries were seasoned well and crispy. I had half the sandwich saved for the next day! There is plenty of parking, the interior is simple and clean, there's some indoor and outdoor seating, and the folks behind the counter were nice and provided quick service. I recommend! read more

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Spent the day in Irvine with my siblings. I've seen this spot all over socials, so I was excited to take them here for lunch. Parking: Free parking lot. Ambiance/Environment: It's very clean inside. They have a small indoor space with limited seating. There's plenty of outdoor seating. There's two self ordering kiosk. Once you walk in, place your order, take a seat, and a worker will bring out your food to you. Service: We didn't catch her name, but she was courteous and attentive. Throughput was under 10 minutes after ordering. She brought out our food and surprisingly knew where we sat. Foods: We ordered all chicken Katsu! 1. Caprese Salad Katsu - If you're going for something simple and light, then this is the dish for you. The sauce with the arugula was delicious. They're generous with the Katsu, and the tomato and mozzarella were fresh. 2. Strawberry Sando - Perfect dessert to end off our lunch! It wasn't too sweet or heavy. The strawberries were fresh, and the cream was light. 3. Nashville Hot Chicken - The burger is big! My siblings and I looove the sauce! It was sweet then the spice creeps up on you during the aftertaste. The chicken was cooked well and seasoned perfectly. We also enjoyed the fries. 4. Katsu Plate - Another simple yet delicious dish. It came with a lot of Katsu, a scoop of rice, coleslaw, radish, and mac salad. We absolutely enjoyed this dish too! 5. Mala Ramen w/ Katsu - Wooo the Mala was spicyyy! Now this is what I call mala haha. The bowl was larger than expected. I appreciated the generous amount of Katsu and noodles given! 6. Yubu Pockets: buldak, egg salad, spicy tuna, bulgogi - These were over-filled to the top! It had a thin layer of tofu with rice on the bottom and filling on top. 7. Caprese Katsu Sando - The sandos were cut thin and filled with katsu and vegetables, and served with fries. This tasted like the other dishes but in a Sando. Pricing: Definitely worth it! My siblings and I loved everything! Presentation and plating was on point. read more

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I got the rosemary katsu sando with the berry katsu sauce and waffle fries. I asked what was recommended and they were really helpful on giving suggestions on what was most popular! There's plenty of outdoor seating when the inside is full. For this order, you can choose the chicken katsu or the pork katsu; I ordered the chicken one as that was recommended. The sandwich comes with yuzu salad inside and if you don't like it, you can order without. There's a few sauces to choose from and I got the recommended berry sauce. There's a strong berry flavor in it that goes well with the katsu. For the sides you can choose between the waffle fries or the curry sauce. I choose the fries, but i thought the fries were a bit harder than I like them to be, I'll probably try it with the curry sauce next time as I feel the sandwich would go better with a sauce! read more

Katsu Bar - Rosemary Katsu Sando W/ Sides - Japanese Curry Near Me - Irvine, California

I hadn't heard of this place until I made a Yelp search to find a place where I could meet a friend after work for a bite. Located in a classic Irvine shopping center, there was plenty of free parking. The place also has both indoor and outdoor seating. When you go inside, you can order at a screen. At first, I was taken aback at the prices. However, when you get your food, you realize the quantity of items, quality of food, and size of the plate. I ordered to-go, and the box was so nicely sectioned-off and packed. The Shrimp Curry Plate was DELICIOUS. I daresay this place tastes better than Coco Ichibanya? The shrimp tempura was succulent. The sauce was homogenous and had a nice balance of flavor. The rice was nice and dry the way I like it for curry. They did not skimp out on the sides offerings. There was super fresh salad and pickles. read more

This is my go-to place for a katsu sandwich. The katsu is perfectly seasoned and perfectly crispy, perfect with their waffle fries. The portion sizes are good, the service is fast, and the interior of the store is clean! Everything I could want for a quick lunch break. My go-to order with a friend is a katsu sandwich with fries, and my friend gets a katsu sandwich with curry. If you share, you get the best of both worlds! read more

Katsu Bar - Japanese Curry Near Me - Irvine, California

Experience (1/5 stars): *Food: Mushroom tempura and Tteokbokki with Katsu were both too watery. Tempura was crispy but didn't have much flavor. The sauce for the tteokbokki tasted fishy and weird so we ended up just eating the katsu. *Price: ~$20 Overall, I would not come back here. read more

Katsu Bar - Japanese Curry Near Me - Irvine, California

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Located in the Culver Plaza, this restaurant offers a variety of dishes focused around katsu (e.g., sandwiches, burgers, rice plates, and noodles). Consider this place a casual dining experience that you can come to after running errands or post-work meal. Exterior: A large parking lot is available though you may have trouble finding parking on busier nights. There are a few tables for patio eating. Interior: If you had to describe it in three words: clean, small, and bright. The place has a couple of self-checkout kiosks and utensil holders at each table. For best experience, come with small parties of about 4-6 people (but try can accommodate more people). Service: By 8:20-8:30PM, food is only available by takeout. Overall, they are nice. Food: Pretty fresh and came out within 10-15min. They seem to be consistent with quality of food. 1.) Rosemary Katsu Sando with Berry Katsu sauce (5/5): If you buy this option, you 2.) Curry Katsu Plate (Beef) (5/5): If you buy this, they give options for different meats (pork, chicken, beef, and shrimp). read more

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I'm seriously hooked on the chicken katsu rosemary sando. The Japanese milk bread they use is so soft and just pairs perfectly with the crispy, juicy katsu. I had it once and found myself craving it again just days later. I've been coming up with excuses to go back ever since. My kids really enjoyed the black garlic udon--it had a rich, garlicky flavor and a great texture. My husband liked the spicy rice cakes, though they weren't my favorite. A bit too fishy for me and not quite as spicy as I expected. Service was friendly and smooth, and prices were totally reasonable for the quality. I'm looking forward to trying more of their sandos next time--we'll definitely be back read more

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This was a surprising good find. I stopped by to grab food from the previous store that unfortunately closed down, but the staff was so friendly and the ambience was so welcoming I decided to stay. And I'm glad I did. I've been looking for a good calamari here in Cali (to my standards) and I think I finally found it! This is the way I like my calamari and I will be coming back to order this again, and try their other dishes. They are pretty new to the area, I think they are worth a try! read more

Katsu Bar - Calamari with Garlic Aiolo - Japanese Curry Near Me - Irvine, California

ORDERS: - Tteokbokki w/ Katsu - Rosemary Katsu Sando + Waffle Fries - Caprese Katsu Sando + Waffle Fries - Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich - Kimchi Mandu Curry Plate - Korean Ganjung * Sweet & Spicy Garlic * Honey Garlic Everything was nicely portioned and deliciously flavored! The katsu was nice and crispy on the outside and the chicken was tender. The curry was yummy! It was the perfect Japanese curry. I will be back for the other dishes. Food came out super quick and staff was friendly. read more

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Everything tastes good but the curry got a little tiring near the end. I got the sandwich and it was good but I wouldn't recommend with the berry sauce. I don't think the sweet and savory balanced out well, but other than that everything was delicious. Service was fast and interior was nice. read more

Katsu Bar - Shrimp Curry Plate - Japanese Curry Near Me - Irvine, California

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Service was good, the employee was very patient with us as we looked through the menu and decided on what to get (there wasn't a line behind us, so don't judge!). We also saw him proactively taking others' trays and asking if anyone needed anything The place was cozy and clean, and located in a plaza with ample parking The daily deals were great, the portions were generous and food? DELICIOUS! Also, the unique carbonated drink flavors were definitely a plus. We're definitely going to visit again and try some other yummies! read more

I tried the pork katsu and honestly it was amazing. The breading was super crispy while the meat inside stayed juicy, and the curry on top just tied everything together perfectly. The curry had that rich, savory flavor with just the right amount of warmth to it, not too heavy but still so comforting. The rice soaked it up so well, every bite was just satisfying. The little sides that came with it also balanced things out nicely--fresh cabbage crunch, creamy macaroni salad, and even the pickled onions gave it a refreshing kick between bites. It really felt like a complete meal. And the tteokbokki with cheese and katsu on top was on another level. The chewy rice cakes mixed with the spicy sauce and gooey cheese made it so addictive, then having that katsu on top gave it extra texture and flavor. Honestly it's one of those dishes where you just keep eating even when you're full because it's that good. Overall I'd give it a solid 10/10. Everything was cooked well, seasoned perfectly, and came together in a way that felt both comforting and exciting. Definitely something I'd go back for again. read more

Katsu Bar - Japanese Curry Near Me - Irvine, California

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First time trying this place. I ordered the tteokbokki with donkatsu, a cup of curry sauce, and a Japanese peach drink. The donkatsu was tender but nothing particularly memorable. The tteokbokki was just okay and a bit disappointing -- it seemed to be made with flour-based tteok rather than rice, and the sauce was fairly bland. On the plus side, the service was fast, which makes it convenient for a quick lunch during the workday. Overall, fine for a fast grab-and-go meal, but not somewhere I'd go out of my way to return to. The Japanese peach drink "momo" was good not too sweet. read more

Came to this place out of location convenience and ended up being such a great decision. Lots of parking and easy to find. Service was very kind and the restaurant was very clean inside. Everything was very reasonably priced as well! We ordered the Korean ganjung chicken, chicken curry katsu plate, and a spicy tuna yubu pocket. Chicken- 5/5 delicious and very flavorful Curry- 4/5 flavorful but nothing special Spicy tuna- 4.5/5 nothing special but still good Id come back and recommend to friends! read more

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Finally got a chance to try Katsu Bar and it did not disappoint! Walking in, they did a great job with the design of the place and is super clean. The menu is not overwhelming but has some solid options. The young lady at the register was very kind and gave some good recommendations. We ended up with the Rosemary Katsu sandwich and added the berry katsu sauce with a side of spicy mayo with waffle fries on the side. It's cool that you can choose your katsu protein between, chicken, pork or veggie. Now, I've had a lot of katsu chicken in my life and I was shocked at how it could be so tender but also crispy at the same time. It was almost airy. Honestly, super delicious and goes perfectly with the milk bread. The fries were the standard seasoned waffle fries but fried to perfection. I can't wait to go back to try some of their other options. The chef/owner(?) was also super nice during our visit too. Thanks for the awesome meal! read more

Katsu Bar - Rosemary Katsu Sando with Fries - Japanese Curry Near Me - Irvine, California

Came here on a rainy Tuesday afternoon! It looks like they have a different meal special for $13 every single day of the week - if I returned, I would definitely come for that! Now obviously, given the name, this place specializes in katsu - unfortunately, I can't speak to that, as I tried the Yubu pockets. I ordered buldak chicken with cheese, spicy Cali roll, spicy tuna, and bulgogi. All of the yubus were okay - there was nothing that stood out to me. Overall though, I like how there's some seating for those that dine-in, and that it's a very clean and modern space. Good for a catch-up, and located in a plaza with lots of parking and options in walking distance. read more

Katsu Bar - Yubu Set (choose 4) - Japanese Curry Near Me - Irvine, California

Tried the rosemary katsu sandwich with pork and with the berry sauce and it was rlly good! The katsu was very crispy and all the components of the sandwich went really well together. The inside of the restaurant was clean and there was seating available. The waffle fries were also yummy. read more

Katsu Bar - Rosemary Katsu Sando W/ Waffle Fries - Japanese Curry Near Me - Irvine, California

First time trying Katsu Sando and I really enjoyed it! The Katsu Chicken was so crunchy outside and soft and juicy meat inside. The soft bread was what tied it all together. I tried the berry katsu sauce and it was different but not bad, sweet and tangy and a pleasant addition to the sando. I was so excited for the mushroom tempura and was not disappointed, so crispy and flavorful especially with the side sauces. Service was quick and kind, they have a general outside area to eat at or inside and you couldn't go wrong with either option! read more

Katsu Bar - Mushroom Tempura & Macaroni Salad Side - Japanese Curry Near Me - Irvine, California

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Amazing. Order at the counter and pick up your food. So many options but in a good way that makes sense. Idk why this place isn't more popular; it's so good. There's seating inside and outside (food court style); large parking lot. I WILL be back. read more

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The katsu here is actually extremely, super tender and full of taste . However the main downside was that the ramen noodles didn't have the chewy/bouncy texture you would have expected. It more felt like a soggy noodle that gave no bounce. It was also hard to eat the ramen without a normal spoon. I was given a plastic spoon so enjoying my ramen without the soup definitely sucked. You order off of a kiosk so you can view the menu while you order which was very nice. It's also a relatively small place with a few seating spots, but there is seating outside the restaurant! A solid 4 due to how good the katsu was. read more

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Came here for a weeknight dinner with a friend and we shared the Korean Ganjung and a Yubu set. Fried chicken (Korean Ganjung): This was a little overcooked and the chicken was kind of dry, but the sauce was really yummy and mostly made up for it enough so that the dish was balanced! Yubu Set: This came out a little cold, but was pretty good! I ordered the Bulgogi, Egg Salad, Garlic Butter Shrimp, and Cali Yubus, and my favorite flavors within this set were the cali and bulgogi. The shrimp yubu had the small type of shrimp, which was not what I expected but still pretty good. A pretty solid restaurant for their variety of food and the price. The workers are also very friendly and service is quick. There are some things that are left to be desired when it comes to the food itself, but I would come back occasionally! read more

Katsu Bar - Yubu Set (choose 4) - Japanese Curry Near Me - Irvine, California

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