Up until recently, my favourite katsu place was Katsu-san because of their special apple based sauce that I prefer over the typical tonkatsu sauce. However, Saku may have won me over with their sharable combo set. My friend and I came in for dinner last Wednesday. It was quite busy for a weekday and we waited around 30 minutes. I loved the interior of this place! It's clean, but warm toned, and stylish. We opted to share the Zenbu set (comes with variety of pork, chicken, cheese, seafood and veggie tempura) and realized we could get refillable rice, soup, and salad for both of us. This was awesome! I was pleasantly surprised by the chicken thigh. I normally always order pork katsu, but the chicken was tender and juicy. The scallop was huge and not rubbery at all! There was more than enough food for the both of us and we even both had leftovers for lunch the next day. We also ordered the lobster croquette, which was fun to try. Like any croquette, there was a lot of mixed ingredients apart from the lobster, but it was still tasty and fun. The staff were attentive at refilling items and were easy to flag down. This is definitely a place that I would return to again and again when I'm in the mood for Katsu. read more

Saku - Zenbu katsu set (above), lobster croquette (bottom) - Japanese Near Me - Richmond, British Columbia

Great experience here while having family lunch. I had a toddler with me and they provided kids dining set. The restaurant was well lit and clean. Server was friendly and attentive. When my daughter dropped utensils on the floor , she came by with clean ones. The food was all cooked to perfection. I really enjoyed the rosu nabe, although it was somewhat salty. The zenbu katsu i highly recommend. We've ordered this every time we went. It's a great way to sample everything they have. read more

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I personally love Saku it's my #1 katsu spot, combined with the vibes and the food. I think the coating is really nice and also thin, the meat is not too dry or wet. Service is so lovely and attentive. I would say the restaurant is also always bustling but still calm enough to have a conversation. read more

Saku - Katsu - Japanese Near Me - Richmond, British Columbia

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One of the best restaurants I've tried around Vancouver. The food was excellent, service was good, the portion sizes were huge. The food quality was top notch, not too oily either. I highly recommend and would come back! read more

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Let's talk about the good part, staff were attentive and service was good. Long wait time but expected. Unlimited miso soup and cabbages was a nice touch. Not so good was the food! Ordered the premium pork katsu, quality were not consistent, in a single piece of pork chop were 2 distinct meat type giving me a mostly tough portion and a very small tender portion in a single katsu. Also there were tough cartilage or tendon in between that I have to spit out! definitely not what I expect for a premium katsu. Also ordered their zenbu katsu which is like a sampler katsu set. Their veggies, scallop and tofu katsu are great! Their shrimp katsu has a very thick breaded layer that is too thick and doughy to chew. The shrimp flavor is totally gone. I had better tonkatsu elsewhere and for the price not very worth it. read more

Had a wonderful lunch at Saku Richmond. Each meal comes with unlimited miso soup, rice and shredded cabbage. Their signature sesame dressing is on the table so you must squeeze your desired amount of dressing over the shredded cabbage. Think I had 4 servings of cabbage as the dressing and the thinly slices cabbage is so delicious and refreshing. Sometime so simple but so good- amazing! We had the Curry and Hire Katsu. The meat was cooked to perfection - so tender and juicy. Besides their classical pork there is also chicken, seafood, vegetables and udon noodles. I come for the pork! There are multiple location of Saku and I have gone to the Vancouver location at Cambie and Broadway a few times but the first time in Richmond. The interior is light and minimalist and the seatings are comfortable. The service was excellent, and all the staff were also smiling. Upon arrival, you must scan the QR code to join the waitlist. When you are next in priority for a table, you will get a text message. There is always a line-up as there is also a line-up at Cambie & Broadway. Parking in the mall complex. If full, head to the upper-level parking lot which is behind the restaurant. read more

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Food: My husband and I shared the Oroshi Katsu (deep fried pork loin) special with a side of fried Ebi (super sized prawn) and bowl of curry. The entree comes with AYCE rice, salad and miso. The Katsu was fried to perfection, crisp and juicy inside. The curry had depths of flavor, we really enjoyed putting the curry over our rice. The pickled crunchy vegetables were delightful. We had fun grinding the sesame seeds in the mortar and pestle. For the price of $27 an entree, it's great value! Total for our meal was about $44. Great deal for lunch. Service: Speedy, attentive, kind and respectful. Servers were active in making sure we had plenty of water and everything we needed. We had a refill of soup that was brought out quickly. The wait for our food was about 15-20 mins which is average wait. Ambience: Light, bright, cozy with lots of warmth from custom millwork and Scandinavian furniture. Definitely feels inviting. Perfect for date night, luncheons, any occasion. Very casual, can be a bit loud. Misc: Parking on the street was easy to find. Note it is pay to park. read more

Saku - Oroshi Katsu (special) with an add-on of fried Ebi & bowl of curry - Japanese Near Me - Richmond, British Columbia

Stopped by to get lunch before heading to the airport. We usually go to Katsuya, but it was out of the way. It wasn't too busy when it opened, but when we left, most of the tables were full. Parking wasn't too hard to find. We ordered a Zenbu Katsu to share and a Passion Fruit Iced Tea. The iced tea was refreshing and tasted great! Perfect for the warming weather. Definitely needed to share the Zenbu Katsu, there was a lot! It came with Rosu, Hire, Chicken Thigh, 2pc Cheese, 1pc Ebi, 1pc Hotate and 2pc Vegetables. It came with their miso soup, rice, and cabbage salad along with some pickles and katsu sauce. We had leftovers for dinner since the portion was massive. Free refills of rice, soup, and salad too! read more

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Wow! Katsu is one of my favorite dishes to eat and this one is the best katsu places I've been too (not including Japan). My fiancé and I ordered the Zenbu Katsu; it is described as "an assortment of everything for the Katsu lovers". It comes with a couple of pieces of 2 different types of pork, chicken thigh, cheese (x2), scallop (x1), shrimp (x1), vegetable (pumpkin x1), rice, and unlimited cabbage salad. It was more than enough for my fiancé to share, and I would say very much worth the money. The katsu itself was so good - it wasn't too oily, meats cooked perfectly, and breading was flaky and crispy. What more could you ask for in Katsu :) The store itself was beautiful and service was amazing. Overall experience was a 10/10. read more

Saku - Zenbu Katsu- an assortment of everything for the katsu lovers - Japanese Near Me - Richmond, British Columbia

We had actually wanted to try out Katsu San but didn't realize how popular the restaurant was. Got there and they told us it would be a one hour wait. When we heard that, we decided to try out Saku instead. There was on an online waitlist for this restaurant and about 10 parties on the waitlist already. We decided to add ourselves to the waitlist and try our luck with this restaurant. Took a few minutes to drive to Saku. By the time we parked and got to the restaurant, there were 7 parties ahead of us on the waitlist. Given the amount of time we spent altogether, getting to Saku and then waiting to reach the top of the waitlist...we could have maybe just stayed at Katsu San as it was probably close to an hour altogether. Oh well, live and learn. I think after this experience we will learn to make reservations more often. Anyways, on to the food. Hubby ordered Rosu Katsu, my daughter ordered a Cheese Katsu along with a Passionfruit Iced Tea, and I ordered the Vegetable Curry. Hubby thought his Rosu Katsu was just OK. Nothing to write home about. We ate at a Tonkatsu restaurant in Tokyo, Japan earlier this year so this was far below that standard for him. At the restaurant in Tokyo they had given us a mortar and pestle to grind some sesame seeds into sesame powder which we could then eat with our meal. Saku gave this same thing to my husband daughter, but the amount of sesame seeds they gave was a much smaller portion. Our daughter is not as picky as her dad with this type of food, and her dish was different being more cheese than pork. She seemed quite happy with her dish. My vegetable curry came with the curry in a gravy boat. This allowed me to pour however much or little curry sauce I wanted, over my food. I quite liked this method, and very much enjoyed my meal. I'm no Tonkatsu expert especially when it's typically a meal that revolves around meat and as I don't eat meat, I went for the vegetarian dish. I'd still say though that within Greater Vancouver, this is a pretty good place to come to if you have a Tonkatsu craving. Not an outstanding place...but a good place. If you're a meat eater though with standards like my husband's, then you might disagree! read more

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Saku is everything I had expected it to be, and it was perfection! Traditional Japanese katsu with exceptional service, ambiance, and taste. All the different varieties of katsu were delicious and super crunchy and tasty. My two favorite items were the cheese katsu and the udon. I was so surprised by the delicious broth and flavor of the pork in the udon; I was getting a flood of fond memories of the time I had spent in Japan while eating it. The udon was bouncy and chewy, while the pork were soft and filled with umami. read more

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Top notch experience other than the long wait to get a table . This place is popular . Usually easier to get a table after 7:30pm when the rush dies down . I had the pork Hire Katsu ( deep breaded pork fillet ) and it was so tasty . The whole food tray is beautiful to look at . Comes with unlimited servings of rice, miso and cabbage . No chance anyone leaves even a little hungry or unsatisfied . It's a few bucks costlier than say Katsu san but has a nicer decor inside and more available seats . Service was prompts and attentive. Classy place read more

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Yessss we love Saku! This was our second time at this location and the food tastes much better than their other location on Robson. Food - I love the ebi curry, that has become my favorite. We also like the pork curry and prefer the cheese menchi over the menchi with pork. Service - I wish I had gotten our waitresses name because she was delightful. She came by a few times to fill our cabbage and waters. Parking- easy parking. There are many spaces around the restaurant and a parking lot. 90 minute time limit on these spots. Reservation - they don't take reservations but you can get on the wait-list. You can join before you get to the restaurant which makes things easier. Ambiance - inside has a great vibe. This location is good for big groups because they have large tables and can push other tables together. read more

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Tofu and vegetable katsu curry was delicious. Great portions. I love how attentive the servers were as they were quick to refill bowls of rice and salads. The ambiance was beautiful. Love how it reminded me of a cafe with natural wood and warm lighting. read more

Saku - Vegetable curry - Japanese Near Me - Richmond, British Columbia

I came here on a weekend night for a party of 4 no reservation and the wait was about 20 minutes which wasn't too bad! The staff was very friendly and quick to grab our orders. I got the katsu nabe with the rose katsu. I wish I had gotten the hire katsu as parts of the rose katsu were fatty and hard to chew. The flavors of the nabe were really good and it came out piping hot and it was hard to keep myself from digging in right away! The katsu remained quite crispy despite being in the hot broth. The miso soup was ok and pretty flavorless. I did like how thin cut the cabbage was and the rice was cooked perfectly! The cabbage, rice, and miso soup come with refills but I feel like the portion size is enough already. I also got a side of curry. The curry was ok and I feel like it went cold pretty fast. Overall really good experience the service was quick and friendly and our server recommended a really good taiyaki place nearby for some dessert! read more

Saku - Rose katsu nabe - Japanese Near Me - Richmond, British Columbia

Saku is known for their Katsu and they definitely have a lot of different cuts. I wish they described the cuts in their menu but after trying Kobuta & Ookami in Seattle, I had an idea already. Saku luckily shares a parking lot which make get really busy as there's a ton of shops in the mall. It's a bit pricey but good quality. Additionally, you're able to have unlimited cabbage and rice which is a nice plus. I got the hire Katsu which is a leaner cut and a side of miso sauce. Service was generally good and everything was pretty good. I'd definitely be back! read more

Saku - Japanese Near Me - Richmond, British Columbia

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Incredible tonkatsu -- can't go wrong with anything on the menu. Check the waitlist (and use yelps app to get on early!) -- this place is absolutely hopping. Cute restaurant, and very clean. All around 10/10 experience! read more

Saku - Signature dishes (cheese, pork) - Japanese Near Me - Richmond, British Columbia

Saku was an amazing experience because it was very unique in a way that I haven't dined before. The food itself was very basic (in a good way). The presentation was spot on with bits of everything. You can get free refills on cabbage and rice to fill yourself up - which is great! We had different kinds of katsu and they were cooked great. The interior felt very up-scale, with warm lights and wood tones everywhere. The servers were very nice to us and explained in detail everything we needed to hear. She was patient and even was let us take our time ordering and deciding what we wanted from their large selection. read more

Saku - Japanese Near Me - Richmond, British Columbia

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Free refills of the cabbage and really stellar rice. They set a bottle of very addictive sesame dressing on the table for the cabbage, it has balance between sweet and savory. Of course the star of the show is the katsu. We got the mixed meat and veggies, loved the thick fatty pork and the chicken. Nice tangy katsu sauce cuts the fat. The service is gracious and attentive. They refill everything so quickly I didn't even notice! Beautiful space, so clean and modern. read more

Always a good experience at Saku. My 2 year old son had their kids menu (with rice). You do have to the option of udon or rice. Their udon is good too. He had it last time. Good portion and variety. I ordered their Ebi Hotate katsu (prawns and scallops). Very good! read more

Saku - Ebi hotate katsu (prawns and scallops) - Japanese Near Me - Richmond, British Columbia

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Pro Tip: Put yourself on the Yelp waitlist ahead of time but there are some shops nearby to kill time since the waiting area has limited seating. New Saku location in Richmond and no complaints! The service was amazing and they were not stingy with the unlimited tonjiru, rice, or cabbage salad refills! Zenbu Katsu ($39.50 CAD): 5/5 This definitely needs to be shared between 2 people. For someone going to Saku for the first time, this was perfect so I could sample multiple katsus. The Hire and Chicken thigh were my favorite bites. I was surprised about the chicken thigh because it was so incredibly tender and juicy. Tomahawk Katsu ($32 CAD): The special was Tomahawk and it was worth the few extra dollars. The pork was thicker and pieces were bigger as well. Each piece was perfectly fried. Obviously we weren't able to finish everything and they were nice enough to give us katsu sauce and salad dressing to go as well! read more

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ambiance - warm and cozy. service - exceptional. server was constantly checking on us food - meat was juicy. wasn't too oily. a little pricey, but the meal came with unlimited rice, soup, and salad! read more

Saku - ebi - Japanese Near Me - Richmond, British Columbia

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One of the worst dining experiences we ever had happened on January 9th, 2025 at Richmond's Saku. I've provided key points and also a detailed summary of what happened that evening: Key Points: * Miscommunication and unclear instructions from your server Misato led to a stressful and uncomfortable experience for our family. * Misato's rude attitude and lack of flexibility further escalated the situation. * Inconsistent application of an unclear policy made the experience feel unfair, especially since there was no visible notice of this policy. Full Details: My parents arrived at Saku and got a table for two. Shortly after, they found out my husband and I could join them, so they asked Misato to switch to a table for four. At that time, there were quite a few empty tables available. Misato asked my parents to wait in the seating area when they informed her we would arrive in 10 minutes. When we arrived at the plaza, we let our parents know we were parking and will be there in 2 minutes. As the waiting area is colder, my parents told Misato we were parking and asked if they could go inside and sit at the table first. Misato agreed but only on the condition that they order immediately. My mom said yes, but Misato failed to clarify that they would need to order on behalf of all four people. When my parents were seated and began ordering, Misato insisted they must also place orders for us. Since it was our first visit, my parents were unsure of our preferences. They explained we were parking and asked for just a few minutes to finalize the order. However, Misato was adamant that they decide for everyone right away or they would not be allowed to sit down. Her tone was rude, making my parents feel like they had committed an unforgivable mistake. Feeling pressured, my dad suggested ordering four of the same sets. However, Misato then pressed for additional details, such as whether we wanted curry with the set. My mom asked if it could wait just two minutes until we arrived, but Misato again insisted they decide immediately. During this exchange, we arrived at the restaurant. The entire situation could have been avoided if Misato had clearly explained the policy from the start or allowed us the brief two minutes to park and confirm our order. Additionally, there is no visible notice of this policy in the restaurant or elsewhere, making it impossible for new customers to be aware of it. To make matters worse, we observed other tables where not everyone had arrived simultaneously, and they were not forced to order before sitting. This inconsistent application of the policy made the experience feel unfair, particularly when there were so many empty tables available at the time. After we ordered, we asked Misato for her name. She initially ignored our question and then sarcastically asked if we planned to write a Google review. She argued with us for another 10 minutes, claiming it was company policy. We tried to explain that the issue was not just the policy but her rude attitude. This was our first visit to Saku, and unfortunately, it left a very negative impression. Clear communication, consistent policy enforcement, proper signage, and respectful customer service would have made for a far better dining experience. We hope Saku can address these issues to ensure no other customers experience the same treatment. read more

Saku - Receipt - Japanese Near Me - Richmond, British Columbia

This Saku location is located in Richmond, BC, situated in the same shopping complex as the Walmart Supercenter. The wait for a table could be rather long so add yourself to the waitlist before arriving. After being seated, the server came and took our order rather quickly. The food came out after 25-30 minutes. We tried the Zenbu Katsu (a combination of everything) for $41 CAD. We also ordered a side bowl of curry for $9 CAD. It was definitely worth it as the food was delicious. Everything was crispy and flavorful. Every entrée also came with unlimited rice and salad refills. Their lettuce salad with sesame vinaigrette was definitely top notch as well. read more

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Everything in this place is AMAZING! Food is delicious! Great service. Nice ambiance and decor. Spacious. Easy to find parking and great location. We ordered both Rosu Katsu and Hire Katsu. Rosu Katsu is more lean, so I preferred the Hire Katsu because it has a bit fat and tastes better!! The fried Jumbo Ebi (shrimp) and fried oyster are very good as well. Both the Ebi and Oyster are huge. The fried Oyster inside is still juicy. Rice, miso soup and cabbage salad are unlimited refill. Their Katsu sauce is good. Last, their service is amazing!! Cheers! read more

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Food was great! They offer free refills of cabbage. I would not recommend the pork cheese - it was 99% cheese and only 1% Pork,

Best katsu I've had outside of Oahu, Hawaii. Service staff was amazing. They always checked in on you to see if you needed anything else. Portions are generous. If you aren't super hungry I'd recommend you share. Free refills on rice, soup, and salad. I'll be back! read more

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Disappointed with the service I visited Saku Richmond and was very disappointed by the service. The restaurant had plenty of empty tables for two, but the waitress told me "No, that's the only seat," and offered the one next to it -- still right beside the toilet. There were clearly other seats available. I found that unreasonable and decided to leave. It's unfortunate, because I was looking forward to trying the food, but the attitude and lack of consideration completely changed my mind. read more

My go-to and most favourite place for Katsu. Always crispy and fresh without being oily. Their refillable salad, soup and tonjiru can't be beat. Their sesame salad dressing is the bomb - it goes so well with rice too! Service is consistently friendly and excellent. I love that you can enter a virtual queue online to avoid waiting at the restaurant. read more

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We stopped by to eat at this restaurant at around 8:30 on a Sunday. We order two Katsu meals and a kids meal with udon . The Katsu meal comes with unlimited refill of shredded cabbage salad, miso soup, rice . Food was served bento style, and portion was generous . The salad dressing was really delicious. The waiters were very kind, patient and prompt with serving food and helping us with refills. Service, food and restaurant ambience were excellent! We would definitely go back the next time we're in Vancouver ! read more

They got buttonless free cabbages load! So glad we can eat lots of greens! I ordered Shrimp and Scallops fry, Scallops tasted like imitation one, not so good. But shrimp was great! read more

Saku - Shrimp and Scallops fry - Japanese Near Me - Richmond, British Columbia

Honestly I was looking forward to Saki. Conceptually they are great, the atmosphere is astheticallt pleasing. We ordered the oorsji katsu which I find it was dry and lacked flavour even though it was the fattier one of the two katsus. The kids meals were a very good deal. I ordered a side of hotate which was not that great. They were overdone and pricey for $12. Service was excellent. read more

Had a Rosu curry set and it was great. Large portion and free refill at least for cabbage salad! Good service too. read more

Saku - Rosu curry set - Japanese Near Me - Richmond, British Columbia

Tasty and juicy Rosu Katsu, cabbage salad is great, for sure will come back again. Great customer service. If the rice served in warm and moist will be perfect. read more

Saku - Japanese Near Me - Richmond, British Columbia

I LOVE the food here. 10/10 always recommend as the food here is amazing. Service is awesome and i love the vibe there as well.

The food is phenomenal and the location has plenty of seating. The customer service is awesome and they are constantly checking on you to see if you need anything else. The Katsu San was great. read more

Very conflicted between 4 and 5 star. This Saku location looks newly opened, the decor and finishes are quite nice. There's free parking in the strip mall. You can remotely join the waitlist from Yelp! The service is good. There is unlimited refill of soup, rice, and cabbage. I got a lot more curry than rice, so you could get more, but I like that you start off with less rice so you can try not to overeat. I was thirsty and staff kindly kept refilling my water. Rosu katsu kare was good too, but all pieces were hard to chew and some pieces impossible. I had difficulty cutting through with metal spoon. The menu said the pork is a mix breed of Berkshire pork, but it's tougher and drier than Berkshire, other kurobuta pork, or nearly any tonkatsu in Tokyo. Breading is good but falls off the cutlet easily. If you live in Vancouver, Saku is probably best taste you can get. However considering the price, I would expect higher quality pork. Not sure if it is just this location - I had Saku on W Broadway last year but don't remember having such a tough time. ETA: my partner got the tomahawk tonkatsu, a special menu item for the opening. They said that their tonkatsu was tender, the worst piece in the tomahawk was easier to eat than my tonkatsu. So, maybe it was a one off issue with dish. read more

Saku - Rosu katsu kare - Japanese Near Me - Richmond, British Columbia

i am a fan!!! i'm so happy they have a saku in richmond now! i have been going to saku since their very first tiny location on robson. i frequent japan & hawaii often and let me tell you, we are VERY spoiled to have this here in van! i love how saku is very meticulous to detail. they are always very consistent with the quality of cooking, preparation & flavor holding true to japanese standards. classic no cash no tipping establishment! read more

The ambiance was clean and modern. The service was excellent. The Zenbu Katsu mini was delicious and fried to perfection. Both kinds of pork were tender. The shrimp was large and crunchy. The cheese sticks had an awesome pull. The soup was tasty and would have asked for more but I was just too full. read more

Saku - Mini Zenbu Katsu - Japanese Near Me - Richmond, British Columbia

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Too expensive! Pork chops were not that tender. Coatings can be more fluffy n light. Soup is the best but we came here first the main attraction. Pork chop! read more