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    Koala Grill

    4.7 (69 reviews)
    Open 11:00 am - 8:00 pm
    Updated 2 weeks ago

    Koala Grill Photos

    Business Info

    KOALA GRILL ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Outdoor seating
    Dogs allowed

    Recommended Reviews - Koala Grill

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    Reviews With Photos

    Katsu plate
    Pauline N.

    Wow! I'm so glad I went here because the food was amazing! Lots of food, still crispy when I went home too //CONTEXT// I came here for lunch and wanted it for takeout. //ENVIRONMENT// Clean and casual spot! I think it'd be cool if they leaned into some cute wooden decor or something //FOOD// Katsu plate: so good! Loved the spicy curry and that it came with salad and Mac salad which is my favorite! He also gave me kimchi side and some radish too which hit the spot! The katsu was very crunchy still too when I went back home. It was presented in a nice box Overall I'd recommend to anyone

    Menu
    Aileen J.

    We had lunch on Sunday after seeing their online ads. Hubby ordered the Curry Katsu Plate with pork for the protein. It came with rice, salad, macaroni, and an assortment of pickles (jalapenos, daikon, and veggies). Good curry flavor and plenty of rice for the sauce. I chose the Chicken and Beef Teriyaki Plate, which included a large bed of rice, macaroni, salad, and 2 egg rolls. The chicken was a little dry, but the portions were good for the price. We shared an order of gyoza. There were 8 in the order with 2 dipping sauces. Crispy and good deal at $6.99. I would have liked hot tea, but there was a good selection of sodas in the drinks fridge. The counter lady was nice, and she gave me enough to go boxes to pack up our leftovers. Small place with about 6 or 8 tables and a few outdoors. Cute mural inside. Ample parking in the shopping center lot.

    Saundia S.

    Wow what a cute hidden gem! Everything we ordered was prepared with care, great sauces and pickled free add ons, overall a positive experience and delicious food! The customer service was excellent! Give this spot a try it won't let you down!!! 5 stars!

    t n.

    The food was great and pipping hot. It's made to order and my son burnt his mouth because it was so hot. The service was friendly and the restaurant was very clean. It's a serve yourself and buss your own table kinda place. There are hand sanitizer and disposable utensils available. Prices were reasonable for the good amount of food that you get. It's a cozy place with cute decor. I wish that I lived closer so that I can eat here more often.

    Golden trial curry katsu bowl pork
    Rick S.

    Koala Grill offers variety of katsu (pork, chicken, beef) and incredible teriyaki bowl with large portions. The katsu were hot, juicy and crispy. The macaroni side salad was also great. The staff were friendly and provided helpful recommendations. Food was made to order and came out quickly. The ambiance is casual, bright and airy. Highly recommended next time you're in Tustin.

    Interior
    Mai T.

    This was my first time trying out the food here and the staff member behind the counter stated the most popular dish was the chicken and beef teriyaki combination. So I gave it a try and ordered the regular bowl. When it came out, the rice bowl was generously covered with chicken and beef, soaked in their teriyaki sauce. The teriyaki was a tad saltier than I liked, requiring me to have some rice with each bite to temper the saltiness. I felt the dish was a good value for the price with an as-I-expected flavor profile. If I were to come back, I would opt for the pork katsu as it seems to be highly rated by other Yelpers. This is a small business with a cordial staff and clean interior. Their food offering is generous with reasonable pricing.

    Chicken and beef teriyaki plate
    Sandy N.

    I am always a HUGE supporter of independently-owned (mom & pop) restaurants that serve good food with reasonable prices. Thus, I was pleasantly surprised to stumble across this yummy food find for lunch. Koala Grill is a new establishment in Tustin ~ located in the Tustin plaza that also houses the greats of Gen Korean BBQ and Okidoki by Meiji. It's located on the left side of the plaza, near the 7 leaves. It's a cute named restaurant with equally cute & zen decor. It's bright and vibrant, yet also giving calming vibes with all the pretty crystals displayed. The Korean owner was super sweet. He took the time to talk to us, give us some history & story of his journey of becoming a restaurant owner. You can really feel the heart and pride that he pours into this place. He provided us some good recommendations and thoroughly explained the difference between some of the dishes, because the vast menu can be overwhelming..as you just wanna try them all. The owner even offered us free drinks, since we were new customers. Totally generous and unexpected. In the end, I ordered the chicken and beef plate ($13.99) ~ which was grilled with a teriyaki glaze, accompanied by a fresh salad, mac salad, and crispy egg rolls. The owner explained that the side teriyaki and white sauces used for dipping the meats & egg rolls were made fresh, in-house daily. My hubs got the same plate, but just with chicken ($11.99). The portions are PLENTY (I even had to take some of mine home) and as you can see from my pics, you really can't beat these prices..while it lasts!!! Everything was fresh, meats were marinated well, the egg roll & mac salad were tasty. The egg roll even reminded me of Filipino lumpias ~ which was very nostalgic. The hubs and I will definitely be back again, likely to try their curry and many other dishes. We left with full bellies and a warm heart. It's places like these that you wanna support and see thrive. 100% RxFoodie recommend!!!

    Cherry N.

    The service and quality is top tier here. I always want to support a mom and pop shop and when I went in, I was immediately greeted with the nicest owners. I got the gyozas and the shrimp curry plate. The food was so delicious. The gyozas came with two different sauces on the side and the gyozas were crispy and hot. The shrimp curry plate also came with mac salad and regular salad which was much needed as a cleanser when eating the curry. The shrimps were huge and crispy. I got the spicy curry which was the right amount of spice. The food left me super full and satisfied with some leftovers to take home. Overall come here to support a small business and to eat delicious food!

    Chicken teriyaki combination plate
    Diana R.

    We have dined here when it was under a different name. Came here with my coworker to check out the new restaurant as Koala Grill. We wanted something fulfilling and simple for our Friday lunch. The layout of the restaurant is the same where you order at the front counter either at the tablet or with the staff. There are a few tables inside and counter seating available. We let the staff know that it was our first time there, but we dined there before when it was Katsu Bar. She explained that they have different new menu items and some were similar to the previous restaurant. We ordered on the tablet individually and ended up, selecting the same exact thing which was their chicken teriyaki combination plate. It came with a large portion of chicken and not too much rice which is fine with me. There were a couple of vegetable egg rolls and a little dollop of macaroni salad and garden salad. I appreciated the variety of textures. As for the taste, it wasn't super spectacular, but it was decent and good. My coworker enjoyed her meal as well and couldn't finish it. It was more food than I would typically eat for lunch and we both brought home leftovers. I'd return to try the curry and other menu items.

    Nhi T.

    Good hot fresh food. Simple filling, healthy dishes. Lots of seatings inside. Friendly Korean service. It was tasty and good portions. I would recommend.

    Kris T.

    Very nice team. They keep the place tidy and well stocked. The food is good, the portions generous and reasonable pricing. Ample parking.

    Chicken katsu curry plate $16

    Finally leaving a review, after having been a regular since its inception about a half a year ago. Food - phenomenal. Very reasonably priced, clean, plentiful, and absolutely delicious. My go-to is the chicken plate, which comes with chicken, salad, macoroni salad, rice, and two small eggrolls. The chicken is perfectly grilled, and the char on it definitely delivers the Smokey flavor. Sauce is not too sweet or salty, and if perfectly complements the rice. Macaroni salad tbh is ok but the green salad and the eggrolls are also phenomenal. Today, I got the chicken katsu plate. Crispy on the outside as should be, moist on the inside as should be. Delicious. The curry is smooth and perfectly flavored. I strongly recommend. It is often too empty, and I do not know why. These folks make good food and sell at a reasonable price. The people are very nice too. I strongly recommend.

    You have to order here, no customer service
    Frank P.

    Bland chicken teriyaki bowl. They hardly use any teriyaki at all. The Gyoza was decent, but came with no sauce to dip them in. I got what looked like ranch dressing but I didn't try it. There is zero customer service. I had to place my order on a touch screen. I had to get my own can soda, fork, and napkins. An employee wearing a mask was just walking around. They aren't that friendly. With such bad service, I wish I could have taken my tip back. I don't see this place being here a year from now. For Teriyaki I'll stick to Yogis up the street.

    Popcorn chicken with powdered cheese

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    2 months ago

    Got teriyaki beef bowl and was amazing, really good customer service. Nice place!! will be coming back

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    3 months ago

    I recommend getting their curry dishes. My go to is the chicken katsu curry but all seem to be high quality

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    I love this place! Yummy food and friendly owner. I always order the pork katsu with curry and it's consistently delicious.

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    7 months ago

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    3 months ago

    Beef bento Delicious thank you guys!! They gave me a great portion and it was done quick so I had time to eat on my lunch break

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    7 months ago

    Business owner information

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    Steve H.

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    Page 2 of 2

    Ask the Community - Koala Grill

    Curry Do - Chicken Katsu Curry

    Curry Do

    4.5(435 reviews)
    0.4 mi
    $$

    Katsu curry is one of my all time fave comfort foods, so I'm always on the hunt for some new spots!…read moreWe found Curry Do tucked in a small plaza in Tustin and absolutely LOVED it!! It's a cute little, more casual eatery serving a variety of katsu curries, donburis, udon, and more. You can customize your own curry bowl with different toppings and adjust spice levels too!! We started brunch off with drinks: strawberry milk + matcha latte with a honey cream top and agedashi tofu--simple but delishhhh. For entrees, we had their most popular Ishiyaki Curry, which comes in a hot stone plate, and their Shrimp Tempura Curry. All the food came out quickly and service was amazing. Highly recommend for your next brunch/lunch plans!

    If I could give a -0, I would. Unbelievable! We ordered the chicken katsu and the shrimp tempura…read more The pieces were minuscule, like something a small child would eat. Half of his chicken was inedible--hard pieces.They were so little and the pieces so small, that it was ridiculous. My shrimp were so small, but I ate the rice, so I made that my dinner. Lucky we bought 3 extra shrimp, so he could have more of a dinner. Also, the medium spice curry was very spicy. I can't imagine why they got such good reviews. Now I believe the people that told me that the restaurants friends leave some reviews. I always read the bad reviews and make my choices off that. There weren't enough bad reviews on this restaurant. I've never seen anything like this. This was the one in Tustin. We call it Curry Don't now. lol

    Photos
    Curry Do - Interior. 4/4/2024

    Interior. 4/4/2024

    Curry Do - Shrimp tempura appetizer

    Shrimp tempura appetizer

    Curry Do - Matcha latte Strawberry milk

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    Matcha latte Strawberry milk

    TANAKAYA - Matcha Soba

    TANAKAYA

    4.0(868 reviews)
    0.3 mi
    $$

    Super good! Got the lunch karaage soba combo and my boyfriend got the soba sampler. Decent…read moreportions. Service is a tad slow. One thing to note is that the karaage comes on top of a small salad with dressing? It should come in a separate plate bc after I had the karaage I was left with warm salad. Great place otherwise though ! Would come back

    I've been meaning to try Tanakaya after seeing their soba flight on Tik Tok! I came near opening…read moreand got seated right away, and by the end, it was pretty full, so I can see how waitlists might be long during busy hours. Plenty of parking and staff is attentive! Everything is a bit expensive for what it is, but overall taste wise, everything was amazing regardless! We got the assorted tempura, filet katsu don, and cold soba flight sampler. The assorted tempura was good, they had a lot of variety and I enjoyed the mushroom, asparagus, and potato! The shrimp tempura portion is very generous in size and was good. A little overpriced for what it is, but if you love this assortment of fried tempura, it is overall good to try! The filet katsu don was amazing, and I like that it came with a small bowl of miso soup! It's always nice to have that as a complimentary side dish. The katsu was crispy and complimented well by the sauce! I'd highly recommend this dish! And now for the star of the show... the soba flight! This was so fun to go through and I highly recommend it just for the experience! My personal favorite was the one that included enoki mushroom on the topping. Definitely would recommend trying Tanakaya if you haven't already! I'd definitely come back.

    Photos
    TANAKAYA - Inside

    Inside

    TANAKAYA - Assorted soba special

    Assorted soba special

    TANAKAYA - Assorted tempura ($20.95)

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    Assorted tempura ($20.95)

    Hako - Chicken Katsu

    Hako

    4.5(2k reviews)
    3.9 mi
    $$

    This is my favorite katsu restaurant. Busy location with a bit of a wait during peak hours but…read moredefinitely worth it. My go to is their fish katsu. Panko crust is light and satisfying. Great portion size. Each katsu order includes cabbage salad, rice, pickles, sauces and the entree and miso soup. (Soup is only for dine in only - must order as an add on for to go orders) Attention to detail - katsus are on little cooling racks on the plate to prevent the from getting soggy, great to-go boxes, branded plates, and nicer chopsticks that won't leave you fearing splinters. Nice assortment of appetizers and sides to choose from although haven't tried them since the katsus are so filling. A must try - go early, expect a wait but you can take the time to check out some of the nearby shops.

    We ordered takeout from Hako for dinner and I loved it! The food was delicious and the prices were…read morereasonable, and it was also high quality. I had to call in my order (they are on Doordash but the prices are lower if you call). It would be nice if you could order through their website, but it's not a big deal. We got shrimp tempura, chicken katsu with a side of curry, and an Alaskan roll. The food was all delicious! My daughter could not get enough of the Alaskan roll. It's simple and classic, especially if you love salmon. The chicken katsu was really good and I enjoyed dipping it in the curry. They don't offer potatoes or carrots in their curry sauce like some other Japanese restaurants do, which was a small disappointment, but I still really liked the curry. It had that "spicy" but not spicy flavor that comes from all the flavorful spices like ginger that are in the curry, but it wasn't hot (we ordered mild). The chicken katsu was a good portion side and it came with a side of rice and angel hair shredded cabbage. Cabbage isn't the most exciting vegetable, but I'll take it. The shrimp tempura was great too. The takeout bag was packaged really nicely and the katsu came in a fancy little box, so even though we were eating at home it felt a little more upscale. But the prices were pretty on par with other sushi restaurants around here, so it's definitely affordable!

    Photos
    Hako - Seating

    Seating

    Hako - Fish Katsu

    Fish Katsu

    Hako - Fish Katsu

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    Fish Katsu

    Cream Pan - Azuki creams  IG: @chow.witme

    Cream Pan

    4.5(7k reviews)
    0.2 mi
    $

    Gotta get here early to get the full menu options. The strawberry croissant pastry is a given but…read morethe azuki cream is another home run! Their egg sandwiches are great as well with friendly and fast service! They also have regular bread options as well!

    We have made pit stops at this OG branch of Cream Pan in Tustin over the years. The location of…read morethis well-known Japanese/French bakery was unusual in that it's isolated in a corner of the El Camino Plaza. I had expected the business to be in a more high volume area, however a benefit of their corner spot was that the parking lot had plenty of spaces. There's no indoor seating, but outdoor tables were set up along the north and east perimeters of the building. I was by myself at this latest visit, and it was close to the end of the day so the inventory was quite depleted. There was no line at all which was not a surprise. The famous Strawberry Croissants and prepackaged items were on refrigerated display to the left when you walked in. As the service counter rounded a corner, there were more fresh baked goods on display before you reached a register. Across from the registers were shelves containing bags of fresh bread products. I bought a Strawberry Croissant, a Sticky Bun, a Ham and Cheese Croissant, and an Apple Croissant. The quality of the pastry dough was very good, and I could see why the Strawberry Croissant was a favorite with the customers. The croissants were light and flakey, and the powdered sugar added a delicate topping to the strawberry version. If I were to rate on just the Strawberry Croissant, then it would be five stars. My overall rating was downgraded because of the customer traffic flow. The lines can be optimized so that if you wanted to buy a six-pack of the Strawberry Croissants and/or anything prepackaged, then a separate queue should be arranged for those customers. The cafeteria trays were of limited use if you were not getting a large number of items. As you advanced in the queue, other products had to be requested from a worker behind the counter and then those were not placed on the tray. Ultimately, I think they can configure the operation to more efficiently handle the higher volume periods of the day.

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

    Raisin bread ($4.80). 8/11/2024

    Cream Pan - Strawberry Banana Croissant, Strawberry Croissant

    Strawberry Banana Croissant, Strawberry Croissant

    Cream Pan - It's called epic

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    It's called epic

    Karē Japanese Curry - Chicken Katsu plate

    Karē Japanese Curry

    4.5(107 reviews)
    6.4 mi
    $$
    Women-owned & operated
    Locally owned & operated

    Tip was not an option on their screen and that makes me want to come more…read more Tonight was my first time visiting Kare in Irvine. I've been to their Rodeo 39 location before and loved it, so having one at the UTC is perfect for me because of how close it is. The Irvine location is very nice with a clean dining room and good music. The employees at both locations have always been helpful and courteous. I've now tried the Chicken Katsu (on Monday) and the Pork Belly (tonight), and honestly, I still can't decide which one I like more. The chicken was incredibly juicy with the perfect crunch, and the pork belly... omg. So good. The curry was another highlight--super flavorful and tasted just like the curry I enjoyed during my time in Japan. And here's a tip: the best value is to make every plate a combo (+ miso & drink). You get more variety for the price, and it's absolutely worth it. Next time, I'm going for the beef belly plate, and I think this place will be on my rotation.

    I was not expecting much from Kare because it's in the bad juju spot in UTC (ifykyk) but I have to…read moresay 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.

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

    Inside seating. 9/4/2025

    Karē Japanese Curry - Chicken gyōza plate

    Chicken gyōza plate

    Karē Japanese Curry - Curry with Spam and Egg

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    Curry with Spam and Egg

    Okidoki by Meiji

    Okidoki by Meiji

    4.0(1.2k reviews)
    0.1 mi
    $$
    Locally owned & operated
    Takes reservations

    Spicy Beef Udon here is the best I have tasted. You cannot go wrong with anything on their menu…read more Handmade noodles, authentic seasoning, bursting with flavor. There will always be a long wait and for good reason. A must try if you are in the area.

    if you know me you know that meiji is my favorite udon spot in oc. a bit ago they opened a sister…read morerestaurant in tustin so i finally got to check it out! it had a lot of the same items as meiji seimen but with more. it was still delicious but i will say i still prefer the costa mesa spot more, personally! parking gets pretty busy but it's free! Shrimp Tempura for this price you get 5 pieces of tempura accompanied with the tempura dipping sauce. the tempura is perfectly crisp and flakey while staying soft inside! Tuna Roll simple, fresh and clean, this 6 piece roll was not too filling but acted as a nice add on to our appetizer. Spicy Beef Udon served in a boiling hot pot, this udon is spicy, hot and sizzling. the standard level of spice is free but to make it spicier there is an additional fee. the flavors of this udon were delicious and i liked the greens that came in it. there wasn't much beef inside and due to the sizzling pot my noodles got really soft faster than i could eat them. it also comes with a cheesy rice ball on the side that you're supposed to mix into your soup once you've finished the noodles. i personally didn't love it. i felt like it didn't really match the flavor of the soup and the outer crust of the ball was way too hard and crunchy for my liking, but my boyfriend thought it tasted good together so to each their own. Cold Spicy Egg and Tororo Tsukemen if you're a fan of the cold, dip ramen (tsukemen), then this dish is for you! the cold noodles are served perfectly chewy and al dente and it pairs well with the egg and tororo dip. the boy added a side of meat for an additional charge because it isn't served with any on its own!

    Photos
    Okidoki by Meiji - Spicy Beef Udon (Rice Ball)

    Spicy Beef Udon (Rice Ball)

    Okidoki by Meiji
    Okidoki by Meiji

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    Koala Grill - burgers - Updated May 2026

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