Vernon M.

Second time here, and I have increased my rating to 4 stars. Instead of ordering curry or udon, I instead ordered the Tonkatsu Sando ("Sando" is Japanese for sandwich). It was delicious! (5 stars for the sando!). The sando came with two large chunks of pork cutlet (I assume that it is the same thick cutlet used in their curry and udon plates), slaw and sauce.it was as tasty as the sando one can get at a convenience store ("kombini") in Japan, say at 7-Eleven or Lawsons, but this one was steaming hot - very nice! I really appreciate the detail and care when preparing the plate. The hefty sando, though it came on a small brioche bun, was sitting on a raised metal grate to keep the bun from getting soaked from the sauce. Nice! The fries were super thin, but were crunchy, and they were lightly seasoned with furikake (seaweed seasoning). The tsukemono (pickled cucumber) were delightfully crunchy and slightly sweet. The rest of us in our party ordered Tonkatsu Curry over rice or Tonkatsu Udon. Very strange. A couple of us found the pork cutlet to be moist and juicy, while the other two found the cutlet to be dry. There must be a reason why this should be. But until the reason is found, this inconsistency prevents me from giving a fifth star. I am happy to see that since we first came to eat here three months ago, this restaurant has found its footing. But there are some improvements that need to be made to make this truly a five-star experience.

Christelle Lorraine A.

One of the best Katsu my family ever eaten here in the Bay Area. Been in this place couple of times and the food is always good. I have no complains when we're here during lunch time as the service was okay in general. However, the last time we were here, we tried to have dinner here. It's busier compared when we ate during lunch time. The server that we have is not as friendly and accommodating. She doesn't smile and looks irritated when we asked for things like a to go containers. When paying too, she didn't let go of the card machine, like geesh I'm not going to bring it home. The vibes of this place is average normal. Like it's not too loud and can still hold conversation. Overall, definitely we will still go back at this place. Just hoping that we don't get that server again or maybe we'll just go during lunch time.

Lon H.

My wife, oldest son and I returned to Katsu Gin for lunch yesterday. We arrived around 1:15pm for lunch and this time we didn't have to wait for a table. The last time, Katsu Gin was fairly new and a lot of people were trying it for their first time. Our wait was around 20 minutes to get a table. Yesterday, we were able to walk right in and got seated quickly. The restaurant was pretty crowded and everyone seemed to be enjoying their food and having friendly conversations. My wife ordered a Chicken Katsu Bowl, our son had a Curry Pork Katsu Udon and I had a Tonkatsu Bowl. My wife and I ordered from their lunch menu, while our son ordered from their regular menu. Our food came out hot and fresh. Our Miso Soups were hot and had a good amount of Nori (seaweed) and tofu too. I like the Tsukemono they provide as well. We all enjoyed our meals. They definitely hit the spot. My wife and I weren't able to finish, so we brought our leftovers home to enjoy later. Parking was easy and we found a spot out front. Our service was really good. The staff were all pleasant and friendly.

Kelly C.

Ordered: Hire katsu- pork tenderloin cutlet Tonkatsu- pork loin cutlet Chicken katsu curry- juicy chicken Chicken katsu, curry on the side Food was soo good, one of my fav katsu spots! The meat was tender and the sauce paired with it perfectly. Pretty small inside but get there before rush there wasn't a wait. The bento box style makes the dish look aesthetic. Will def come again!

Stella N.

The best thing here is the miso soup. It is so good. Might be my fav miso soup. It was truly a memorable soup experience and earned all of the stars I am giving here... so yeah. Get the miso soup. Katsu cheese fries: these would have been REALLY good IF they were hot... it was straight up lukewarm when it came out so idk. I would not get them again tbh Chicken katsu curry set: $19 for the set. The rice was soggy. Very soggy... like when you put too much water when you cook your rice. Also, lukewarm again. Why is the food not hot when it comes out?!?? The curry itself was decent. You can get the same curry using those curry cubes at the grocery store (golden curry etc) does not have the option to change the spice level. I would pass. Chicken was tough to chew on and it was again... lukewarm which is crazy for an item that needs to be deep fried Tonkatsu set: this was the second best item on the menu. Besides the miso soup that is included in the set. The meat was sliced perfectly and it was well fried. Unfortunately, this one also came out lukewarm!! Which again... I do not understand at all. The salad was nothing to tell home about. I will say they should have incorporated red cabbage... color contract makes a difference. The salad was not cold and I really wish it was. Sesame dressing on top, not bad, nothing to tell home about. The sauces are ok. I probably would not come again. I was very excited for a new katsu focused restaurant to open in the Bay Area and this did not live up to my expectations. It would be great if they fixed the little hiccups, especially around food temperature. The miso soup is outstanding. It was warm, nothing hot, BUT it was not lukewarm... flavor was 10/10. Would order exclusively the miso soup. Service was fine. They refilled my water a few times, did not check up my table at all other than that. Ambiance was fine. Not too loud or quiet.

Brendon E.

I went here for dinner today, and it was very delicious! I enjoyed every bite of my hirakatsu, and the side tonkatsu was perfectly crunchy, flavorful, and seriously satisfying. The chicken skin was delicious too, adding that extra crispy texture I love! Everything paired beautifully with the tonkatsu sauce, making each bite even better. The ambiance is also a nice touch. The dim lighting and TVs create a cozy, intimate setting that makes it easy to settle in and enjoy your meal. The service was great, too! They let us place our order while we waited for our seats, so once we finally sat down, our food came out in about five minutes. Talk about efficiency! I'd definitely recommend this place and will absolutely be coming back for another crispy, saucy, delicious meal!

Tiffany P.

Upon coming in, they have a tv showing some sports and a good amount of tables. Servers are super nice and the owner took our order before we got to the table so we didn't have to wait too long for food. All their katsus were perfectly breaded and crispy, while the meat is still moist - not dry. The cabbage salad is ever so thinly sliced and just such a good pair with the katsu. Highly recommend the hirekatsu or tonkatsu! Would definitely return with more friends!

Leslie H.

Dare I say it? This place had chicken katsu curry that was better than Curry Hyuga! And I don't say that lightly because I LOVE Curry Hyuga! The portion size of their chicken katsu cutlet was enormous, and I loved how perfectly cooked it was. The batter was the perfect thickness and super crispy, without being greasy in the least. And the portion of rice and curry was perfect. I don't love pickles, but I like that they give you some pickles on the side to cut through the richness. And I also really appreciated the miso soup with just enough wakame and tofu. The batter was a bit sweet, but only in an after taste. The curry is not super spicy, and I do wonder if there is a way to make it more spicy by adding oil, but it still had a good depth of flavor that paired well with both the rice and the fried chicken. We came early on a Wednesday for lunch, at 11:45, before the crowd, but by the time we left at 12:30, there were people waiting for tables. The inside is not huge, but they do have counter seating for single diners. The staff was friendly and efficient and speedy in presenting us our food on the beautiful trays. I kind of wish their water glasses were bigger because we had to wave down a server for refills. I will definitely be back!

Zenny D.

If you've been to Japan, the presentation of the food at Katsu Gin will definitely make you miss Japan. I feel like I could have had a better experience, since it seems I went on an off day. FOOD: Fish Katsu (3/5) - First off, I felt that the oil used to fry the katsu was old. I had a strange filmy aftertaste with each bite. I kept dipping the katsu in the different sauces to mask the aftertaste but I stopped eating because I couldn't ignore it anymore. The fish used in fish katsu is cod, I felt like the waitress thought I was dumb for asking that question, even though it's not clarified on the menu. Sorry for asking... :/ It's normal for katsu places in Japan to have huge piles of cabbage so I wasn't surprised. The cabbage added a relief from all the fried fish I was eating. Miso soup was standard with nice big chunks of tofu; the rice was fluffy and light. Chicken Curry Katsu (3/5) - Chicken was juicy and plentiful, but honestly the curry had no taste. It added a that gravy like texture but didn't have that deep, rich curry flavor we think of when it comes to Japanese katsu. Usually at these spots you're asked how spicy you want the curry to be but here it's all mild, with no option to add your own spice. VIBE: Interior is simplistic, almost a little cramped. The tray that the food comes out on takes up the whole table space so don't expect to put anything on the table. It's very loud inside. Hard to have conversations. Also strict no outdoor food/drink policy. We were satisfied with the portions and, and didn't leave hungry, but still desired more from Katsu Gin. I'd love to give this place another try if I'm in the area.

Kay D.

Pork was great I will say the very middle piece had a very intriguing texture and color pretty sure it was not yet cooked all the way. Curry could use a little more seasoning but overall it was delicious and great texture as well. Pork was juicy and it was a great portion. The ambiance is nice and it's very clean servers seem to be in training but they'll look around and help when needed. Takoyaki wasn't great - texture was good but Tasted frozen potatoes could use more seasoning.

Pauline N.

Heard great recommendations from a friend and so I waited for the hype to die down to try, and it did not disappoint! This is one of the best katsu places in the bay and is comparable to the katsu I had in Hawaii (: For two people, getting your own katsu set is enough. My partner & I didn't need assorted tempura side because we got really full! Also experienced katsu-fried flavor fatigue lol. If you get katsu here, make sure its the Hire Katsu! It was tender and juicy! I heard the regular katsu is drier and can be tough. I am a curry katsu girly and the curry was good! Though I prefer curry from Curry Hyuga, the katsu here is wayyyy better. At other places, the katsu is either small or on the tougher side. This place definitely gets busy and they know how to make good katsu. I appreciate how flaky the katsu was and the miso soup was also tasty. Unlike other places, the miso soup wasn't grainy. I want to come back again, but Katsu Gin is a far drive for me. If I was in the area, I'll go a lot more.

Kimberly H.

My friend and I came during lunch hours (~12:30pm) on a Saturday, and while it was decently busy, it was easier for us to get seated quicker than the other parties due to our small party. If you have a party of 4 or more, I recommend going on the waitlist earlier. The food was great, everything came in a tray so it feels more like individual meals rather than family style vibes. Regardless, we shared the tonkatsu and veggie curry sets and it was so good. The veggie (pumpkin) pieces were really yummy, as well as the included miso soup. I wish the tonkatsu was more tender itself, but I loved its crunchiness. Overall, great service - the staff kept refilling our waters and checking up on us, it was really nice. I'd come again!

Reeven S.

I think Katsu Gin is just decent, no complaints at all. We were seated right away, food came in fast, and waters continually refilled. The proportions of rice, chicken katsu and curry were well balanced. Usually, other places tend to have more of one thing than the others. I'd say the price is on the higher end, but definitely still worth to get. Crispy chicken, flavorful curry, and fluffy rice. If you're craving chicken katsu curry, this place can that satisfy that.