I ordered the chicken thigh katsu with a side of menchi katsu. The chicken katsu was very crispy and delicious! And i loved the sides the came with it (pickles, cabbage slaw, miso soup). I can't stress how good the chicken was! It's a bit on the pricier side but it's high quality so I'd say its worth it. I also ordered a side of the menchi katsu (minced beef katsu). It was alright, I probably wouldn't order it again. The chicken was the specialty so I'd just order that or maybe one of their croquettes. Waiters were very attentive and polite, the restaurant is very pretty and the bathrooms are really clean! If anyone were visiting toronto and likes katsu curry then I'd definitely take them here! read more

Saku - Chicken Thigh Katsu with a side of Menchi Katsu - Japanese Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

I was a but surprised at how pork forward saku was and I didn't realize it was a tonkatsu establishment (that was my own fault) but was happy they had chicken katsu options. I ordered a jasmine and matcha latte which was very sweet but the bitter matcha perfectly balanced out the drink. I was really happy with the side dips and dishes that came out, but I was hoping for a bit more pickles. Katsu was fresh and crunchy. Service was alright and the location was cute (albeit quite busy since it's close to Dundas square). I would come back here with a friend if they were new to the area. read more

Saku - Japanese Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Super clean, minimal aesthetic inside. Great service. I enjoyed my food, but I really wanted to love it. I ordered the seasonal Cold Lime Udon and the 2pc Cheese Katsu add on. The cold udon was definitely light and refreshing, but I feel like the broth lacked a bit of depth and got increasingly bitter toward the end -- perhaps due to the lime rinds? The katsu was goood... Super cheesy, light and flaky on the outside. I wish it were a bit crispier/crunchier but I enjoyed nonetheless. I'd like to come back and try again. The katsu set looked good. read more

We were kids free for a lunch and we came shortly after opening... they were down to counter top seating only which didn't bother us. We weren't really sure the differences between the pork cuts and when we asked the waitress, she was friendly but it was quite hard to understand her - I felt terrible asking her to repeat herself 3-4 times. The food arrived on a large tray of food and it was well presented. I can't say I'm a katsu connoisseur so I actually had to google what to do after I ground up the sesame seeds. This may be on me but I wish the waitress had explained the proper order on how to eat/prep the food. The sesame dressing were left on our table to dress our salad to taste and it was GLORIOUS. The miso soup was good too! Hubby ordered the signature and I got the rosu katsu and both were very delicious. Crispy and not too greasy... the signature was melt in your mouth, almost like pork wagyu! Both were delicious.. the price is a bit steep but it was a good meal! read more

Saku - Japanese Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Saku brought me back to Japan! I heard that this spot is originally from Vancouver, and I'm glad that they opened a Toronto location. The katsu was nicely breaded, and the pork was juicy and tender. I like how they have the option to add on 2 pieces of cheese katsu on the side. The service was kind and attentive, with the servers often coming around to refill water and ask if we wanted refills of the soup, cabbage, or rice. The space is also really aesthetic and modern, with comfortable booth seating. read more

Saku - Japanese Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

famous chain from vancouver and wait to times are a bit crazy but you can join it online to save time. Food was good and the batter was very light wish it was more crispy. the salad and curry is really good. The mozzarella was good too. restaurant fills a good amount of people . nice modern lighting as well. good pricing as well. I wouldn't go out of my way to try again tough. read more

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3.5/5 The interior was really well done, nice clean aesthetic and the staff were very attentive. My friend got the chicken thigh katsu and I got the pork katsu. I really wanted to like the katsu, as it was perfectly deep fried, breading was great, not oily and very crispy. However I found the pork to have a bit of a "gamey" taste, which is unfortunate. Perhaps it was one off? My friend's chicken katsu was nothing special either. The sides were really good- cabbage salad with a nice dressing, delicious miso soup and fluffy rice. read more

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I love love katsu and this place does it so well! From what I know, this is a popular chain that came from Vancouver, and I've been waiting for it to open from a while back- it did not disappoint at all. They have several different katsu options, and refillable rice, miso soup, and salad. I of course had to try the katsu, but I also got udon. While the katsu looked small at first, it's quite thick cut and I was left very full after the meal. The quality of the meat is great, definitely the star of the show! The udon was also delicious, with a rich broth and the perfect udon firmness. This place is a bit higher end, which you can kind of tell from their decor and branding. In hand with this means a premium price tag, but it's definitely worth trying at least once! I highly recommend it if you don't mind paying the price. read more

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This Japanese restaurant originated in Vancouver; a very popular restaurant. They just soft-opened on 2025-11-01. They focus on Katsu, which is breaded and deep-fried meat or seafood, originating from the word "cutlet". All their combo dishes come with unlimited soup and rice. The soup consists of small shreds of pork, some clear vegetables, and a thick slice of a jumbo carrot. There is salad dressing on the table. During the soft-opening period, if you post a IG story, you get gift voucher for one free Jumbo Ebi ($6.95) on your next visit, valid until 2026-07-31. We ordered the following: 1. Cheese Katsu ($27.00). 2. Hire Curry ($29.50). The 6 pieces of Cheese Katsu consists of 90% mozzarella cheese and 10% pork (a thin layer between the cheese and breading). There is a bowl of rice and a bowl of soup. There are also dishes of salad, lemon salt, sesame seeds, katsu sauce (also unlimited refill), pickled cucumber, and strong gravy. The Cheese Katsu tasted good but we didn't use the sauce. You can pull the cheese an insanely long distance! Have fun! The sesame seeds come in a little bowl and grinder, for you to add the seeds to the katsus sauce. My son decided to add the sesame seeds to the cheese instead. The Hire Curry comes with 8 pieces of Hire Katsu, along with the curry in a pouring jug, so you can pour the curry as needed. The katsu is on a bed of rice. There is a bowl of soup, and a bowl of salad. The Hire pork was good, especially with the curry. The service was good. During the soft-opening period, they are not taking reservations, but there is a waitlist that you can get on. It gets busy 17:30 onward, especially on weekends, so go early. There is free WiFi. The restaurant is wheelchair accessible. There are two gender-neutral washrooms, one of which is wheelchair accessible. There is paid neighbourhood street parking and a paid parking lot. Review 2025-233 read more

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I've been wanting to try this spot for AGES. Saku is quite a popular katsu place in Vancouver and glad it finally made its way to Toronto! Rosu Katsu: Juicy and tender meat, but still had that nice crunch on the outside. The sauce along with the sesame seeds was a great pairing with this katsu. They also had the salt option which is more suitable if you're looking for a more citrusy salty flavour. The portions were great especially unlimited rice, miso soup and salad. Though I definitely underestimated how much food it was for myself.. I would probably recommend going into it pretty hungry if you want to get a bang for buck! I highly recommend adding yourself to the waitlist ahead of time as the wait was around 45-50 mins on a weekend evening. I went as a duo group size so it was much easier - bigger groups might take longer to get a table as pairs or often got seated at the high tables. Overall, an amazing experience at Saku, highly recommend going here if you're looking for high quality katsu (I'll definitely come back again to try something else). read more

Saku - Japanese Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

The food is better than most katsu spot and here is why. The fast that every meal comes with unlimited soup, salad and rice is already a plus. The meat is so crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. The salad is and it's dressing is the reason you need to come and check this place. It was soo good that I would just keep coming back just for this. I got the Katsu Nabe which is deep fried breaded pork loin mixed with egg, onion, mushrooms in a housemate sauce which tasted like French onion soup. The kid's meal comes with chicken katsu, fried shrimp, potato fritters, corn and salad with a drink and chocolate. The hire katsu is the winner here as it was soo tender in the inside and made you want more. While this a little expensive than most katsu places, I would definitely check it out and come for more. read more

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We came here as a group of 6 recently and had a pretty good experience. We joined the waitlist at around 5:40PM, and were seated closer to 6:30PM. It isn't a huge restaurant so be sure to check the waitlist early if you can. While we were waiting, the staff took our order so that food would come fairly quickly after seating. I ordered the Ebi Hotate Curry, while my partner got the Rosu Katsu with some extra udon. The curry was quite delicious, and I appreciated that there are some side dishes with unlimited rice. Service was reminiscent of Japan which was lovely, and the food was good but not anything mind-blowing. Great choice in the downtown core if you are craving some katsu! read more

Saku - Japanese Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Wanted to circle back here because I gave this place more chances! In my subsequent visits I tried the chicken Katsu, and then my most recent visit i got the fish katsu. The chicken katsu is hands down the best one so far in my opinion. Every complaint i had about the pork katsu was addressed and rectified through the chicken. Tender, great portion, felt worth it for the money paid, no weird fatty bits. When I had it, I was in LOVE and savoured every bit. The fish katsu is just okay. Have you ever had a really satisfying plate of fish and chips? This doesn't even compare. It felt too healthy - the flavour was too bland like there was no seasoning. Also, the fish cut was very thick (and that could be a good thing) and overall it felt like a chore to eat. The servers are attentive and ready to assist whenever you need. In terms of wait time, I've been joining their waitlist ahead of time to maximize my lunch hour at work. I've found that the most I wait is 15 minutes. If you dine alone, they tend to seat you in the high chairs, but they are open to seating you at the tables, but you need to explicitly request it, and also wait for that opening. One thing I wanted to note here as a tip! If you've got lots of leftovers you can ask to refill everything and then ask for the bill and takeout containers, INCLUDING the sauce and salt. It gives you the full bang for your buck by helping you do a full extension into a second meal. Enjoy! read more

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So yummy!! Casual dining in the very very clean environment. The staff were amazing and checked in on us multiple times throughout the meal offering free refills of the salad and the soup. The cheese katsu definitely needs to be eaten sooner rather than later because the cheese stiffens quite quickly. Very enjoyable overall experience read more

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Saku is a newer katsu spot in the downtown core that I immediately wanted to try upon discovery. Getting in, however, has been a bit of a process. The first time we attempted to go, they were already closed to customers a full hour before their posted closing time. The second time, we heard they were refusing guests hours before closing. That part was frustrating, especially if you've made the trip specifically to eat there. They could definitely benefit from a better system. If you're planning to go, I'd strongly recommend joining the waitlist before arriving. When we went, we were told the wait would be an hour, but it ended up being closer to 15 minutes. Not the worst problem to have, but it does make planning tricky. The interior is nice and modern, but seating is fairly limited for how popular the place is. There are tables, but there's also a long bar-style counter, which is where we were seated. It works, but it's not the most comfortable setup, especially if you're sharing dishes. Service-wise, the staff were all very kind and genuinely tried to help. They took time to explain the differences between the katsu options, though having photos on the menu would probably help people who aren't as familiar with katsu. We shared the Zenbu Katsu, which was a great way to try a bit of everything. With unlimited rice, soup, and salad, we definitely left full. We also ordered a side of curry sauce. It's a bit pricey for what is essentially just sauce, but it was tasty and I'd still recommend adding it. The soup and salad were great palate cleansers between bites, and the staff were attentive about checking in for refills. The katsu itself was very well done. Crispy without being greasy, and the meat was tender and flavourful. Everything felt balanced and thoughtfully prepared. Overall, Saku is absolutely worth trying if you're a katsu fan. The food delivers. The wait and entry process are really the main downsides, so plan ahead and be prepared to be flexible. read more

Saku - Zenbu Katsu - Japanese Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Came on a Wednesday evening and the place was packed. Thankfully, Saku has an online waitlist system so we didn't have to stand outside in the cold. I joined the waitlist at 5:30 from home and the wait was already about an hour. I ended up running a bit late when my table was ready, but the staff kindly held it for me, really appreciated that! I ordered the Cheese Katsu ($29), which comes with free refills of miso soup, rice, and salad. You get to grind the sesame and mix it with the katsu sauce yourself, which is a fun touch. The salad dressing was surprisingly tasty too. When I was about to order the cheese katsu and the server did warn me that it is mostly cheese with not a lot of meat, and she was right lol. It's basically a soft, melty cheese center wrapped in a thin layer of pork and fried in a super light, crispy batter. Even though it wasn't very meaty, I actually enjoyed it a lot, the cheese wasn't overwhelming and the batter was excellent. Price-wise, it came out to $36 after tax and tip, which feels a bit steep for what it is, so I'm not sure I'd come back soon. But overall, the experience was good. The servers were friendly and checked in often to see if we wanted refills. The interior is clean, bright, and welcoming. If you're a fan of katsu, it's worth trying at least once. read more

Saku - cheese katsu - Japanese Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Aside from the (well-deserved) wait times, I loved everything about tbis restaurant. The place is stunning, and clean. Food was filling, and delicious even down to the sesame dressing at every table, and there's free refills on soup/cabbage/rice. I order the Ebi Hotate everytime - the Scallop and Jumbo shrimps were cooked perfectly on the inside and crispy on the outside. Usually seafood is more expensive by its priced at par with the other protein options The location is central to downtown, with Eaton Center nearby, and a big parking lot across the street. Since they have long wait times from popularity right now, I would recommend taking a walk around the area ss theres much to see while you wait ! read more

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I had the day off on a weekday so I came at 11:20am to line up (I was first in line). They took my order before letting people into the restaurant at 11:30am opening time and I believe I was the first to receive my food. I gave this place 4 only because of the price. I think mid-high $20s for one piece of pork katsu is a bit steep, even for Toronto. I had also upgraded to the udon soup for an extra $4 and it was just OK. The udon was a bit overcooked for my taste. The cabbage salad had a bit of residual water in it that made it look unpleasant but it tasted fine. The katsu dipping sauce was GREAT with the ground sesame seeds, and my Rosu Katsu was delicious. My conclusion is that I wouldn't line up for this again, and certainly not if there is already a giant line, but I would still come back and try the other katsu offerings on the menu. read more

Saku - Rosu pork katsu plus kake udon upgrade. - Japanese Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Came on a Wednesday for dinner at 5pm (that's when they opened) and by 5:15pm, the restaurant was full and there was already a wait. They don't accept reservations, walk in only. We ordered the Zenbu Katsu set and an extra side of potato croquette to share. The Zenbu comes with two types of pork, chicken, cheese, shrimp, scallop and vegetable katsu (eggplant and squash). It also comes with unlimited soup, salad and rice. It was nice that we could still get refills even though we were sharing one set. My favourite was the chicken katsu but my husband's favourite was the pork (specifically the rosu katsu) read more

Looking for authentic, high-quality katsu? Check out Saku's new Toronto location. This popular Vancouver chain gets busy, so I recommend joining the online waitlist. The interior is simple and elegant, and the menu is focused and straightforward. I ordered the signature Tokujyo Rosu Katsu and the presentation was on point. The katsu was fried perfectly, super crispy on the outside and tender inside. It is a bit expensive, but worth it for the quality. You also get unlimited refills of soup, salad, and rice. Service is super friendly and attentive, always checking in to make sure everything is alright or if you'd like refills of the mentioned dishes. read more

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This is a Katsu place near Yonge and Dundas. I tried their pork katsu and the curry udon. Overall, both were delicious. The highlights were the cabbage salad (and dressing) and miso soup. I didn't think the pork katsu was anything too spectacular. Yes, it was good, but not too memorable. When we went, the service was not great. It was very busy inside and service was generally slow. Yes, you do get unlimited refills on rice, soup and cabbage, but it's hard to actually get it since you need to get the server's attention and then wait for it to come out which can take a while. Overall, great food in terms of flavor and seasoning but I think it's a little overhyped especially at the price you are paying (the portions aren't large). read more

Saku - Japanese Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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The Tokujyo Rosu Katsu was amazing! The premium pork loin was tender, a bit fatty, and the coating was crispy. The add-on cheese katsu was good too. The Japanese pickles were interesting. Never tasted those flavours before. The Japanese peach soda was very sweet that I couldn't finish it. The restaurant has a white and wooden theme brightly lit with high ceilings. It's pleasant. The service was good too. The best katsu I ever had. Highly recommend. read more

Saku - Japanese Peach Soda - Japanese Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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First time ever trying the hotate (scallop) and ebi (jumbo shrimp) katsu. They were amazing. The hotate just cooked perfectly that its not too chewy or too raw! Definitely recommended. The ebi was a bit chewy but I don't mind it. I have been seen such big shrimp before. Then the Tokujyo Rosu Katsu! It was the juicy piece of pork ever. Totally recommended it. The curry was also great. The service was also good, despite the long line up. You could line up earlier via an online waitlist and then you could shop nearby and come back when the tables are ready. Overall, I would definitely come back again if I have craving for katsu and curry! read more

Got the Tokujyo Rosu Katsu, which is their signature offering. The pork loin was exquisitely tender as it melted in your mouth, the deep fried coating wasn't overly thick and delightfully crackling. Unlimited soup, rice and salad helped balance the meal. Sesame dressing was almost tarty in taste, which added a nice counter to the fry. Pricey for the portion size but the quality is obvious. Service is friendly. Kitchen is quick. Space is minimalist sleek and effectively functional. Overall, a really good katsu spot in the city! read more

This is the best Katsu I've ever had outside of Japan. You can taste the quality ingredients and customer service is top notch. It will be tough going back home to LA since there's no US location. I will miss this place! The pork, veggie and chicken katsu melts in your mouth. The rice, soup and salad are perfect. If I closed my eyes while eating here, I would think I'm eating in Japan. read more

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The service was fast and quite reliable. There is refillable rice, cabbage salad, and soup when you order a meal. We got premium pork and a chicken thigh cutlet. Both were juicy and great crunch. Very filling for a lunch meal. read more

Saku - Chicken thigh cutlet - Japanese Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Wish I could rank this 4.5 but Yelp won't let me. Went during the soft opening. Staff were friendly and attentive. There was a waitlist for tables. The restaurant is spacious and very welcoming. Ordered the Katsu combo that featured a variety of different meats, veggies and seafood. The presentation and explanation of the sauces was stunning. Food wise, it was good. The only issue I had was the shrimp, for some reason, it wasn't the freshest I ever had. There was a weird aftertaste after each bite. The hotate on the other hand was very well done. Was going to get a bowl of curry on the side to try their homemade curry. But it cost 9 dollars for the bowl which is significantly pricer than other places that offer a bowl of curry for less than 5. Hope to return one day to try their other dishes. read more

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A great addition to the Toronto food scene. The decor of the place is bright and clean. It's quite spacious. Service was good as well. Since they haven't been opened for too long, I got the impression that they're working through trying to figure out the timing and pacing of food leaving the kitchen to the table of diners. Now to the most important part - the food. The portions are extremely generous. And the presentation is so nice! Your entree comes in a beautiful wooden tray and includes some Japanese pickles and lemon salt. I got the Cheese Katsu, which is majority cheese with some pork. It was very tasty! I also wanted to try their curry so I ordered a side of it. Another winner as the curry was smooth with a subtle kick to it. A bonus is that rice, cabbage and tonjiru are AYCE. The tonjiru was full of flavourful broth and perfect for a cold day like when I visited. The downside is that you can't make reservations. I left my home in Etobicoke and put myself on the waitlist before going on the subway. It was about an hour and 45 minute wait. In spite of the long wait, I really enjoyed my dining experience here. Can't wait to return! Good for: katsu, curry read more

Food is delicious. Fresh fried pork cutlets. Service is great too. I wish there were more seating as wait times are horrible.