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    Saku

    4.3 (300 reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 9:00 pm

    Order Saku Takeout or Delivery

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    SAKU ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Trendy
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - Saku

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    ED A.

    Craving for legit Japanese katsu, and SAKU is your spot in Vancouver. Located right in the heart of Robson Street. The katsu here is crispy, light, and not greasy--the set meal--unlimited rice, shredded cabbage, and miso soup. I went here as soon as they opened and missed any lines outside.

    Cheese katsu
    Juliana S.

    One of my favorite restaurants in Vancouver. I always order the cheese katsu and it has a perfect crisp. The free refills on cabbage and miso soup are a highlight, and everyone who works here is super friendly!

    Cheese katsu
    Jen-Ann L.

    This place is extraordinary. Everything was fried to perfection. We were also told that the panko is created fresh everyday from a local bakery in Vancouver. I would recommend chicken or shrimp if you want a protein. I had the tonkatsu (pork) which was a little tougher. The thinly sliced pork with cheese inside was the best bite I had. I also enjoyed the katsu nabe but the soup does affect the texture of the fried pork. There was also unlimited rice, cabbage salad, and sesame sauce here. Amazing! My husband ordered the curry chicken katsu which was excellent and our friends ordered the Zenbu Katsu which was plenty to share between two people. The staff are very sweet and attentive and the restaurant is clean and simple.

    Mayu D.

    We walked in about 15 minutes after they opened for lunch without a reservation, and the restaurant was already full. Luckily, they had two small tables left, so we were able to sit down immediately. The restaurant is modern and clean, and the servers are super polite and friendly. My black truffle katsu was crunchy on the outside and juicy on the inside. My fiancé also loved his dish, but he wouldn't recommend the special premium katsu because it had a chunk of fat. Aside from that, the rest of the katsu was absolutely delicious. We highly recommend this place and can't wait to come back again.

    Hire Curry
    Andrea O.

    Today we decided to do a day trip to Vancouver from bellevue WA, and one of the stops had to be Saku for sure. First time at this location in Broadway, a bit less highendy compared to the one in Robson, a bit more run-down I'd say. The quality though was still good. I got the Tokujyo Rosu Katsu and it was delicious, fried to perfection, juicy and fatty inside. My daughter got the Hire Curry and she was happy with it. It was around 12PM on a Monday and there was plenty of seating space available. Service was fast and courteous.

    Joy Q.

    High quality katsu place. Katsu was tender inside. My favorite dish was the cold udon! So refreshing with rich grated radish and slices of pork. Wanted to also call out the great service, with lots of care in the details. Thanks for the amazing dining environment and experience

    Zenbu Katsu
    Valerie Y.

    Saku is a great katsu spot in Mt. Pleasant with tons of options and amazing service. My group of 8 people only had to wait about 15-20 minutes for a table to open up; super grateful to the staff for accommodating us on short notice. My partner and I decided to get the Zenbu Katsu so we could try a little bit of everything. The sets all come with unlimited cabbage salad, miso soup, and rice. I LOVE the sesame dressing on the salad, I definitely got at least two refills of that. I thought the katsu here was very high quality. My favorite cut was the Hire (pork fillet) but I thought the Hotate (scallop) was pretty interesting. I also liked the Cheese :) This set was 100% enough for 2 people to eat. I'd definitely recommend this place and I would come back for this set.

    Beatrice H.

    Delicious with 5 stars service. Also very kids friendly! Highly recommend! We came on a early friday evening around 5-6p and were seated immediately. The waitress was kind and oriented us to the menu she also provided great service. The ambiance was modern, minimalist, but cozy. Our food came quickly, was hot and fresh and so delicious. We loved the cheese katsu and curry katsu. They also offer a kids menu which comes with chicken, rice, a drink and a dessert. The kids both loved it and as a bonus they provide kids utensils and eatery. Everything was well seasoned, crispy fried and incredible. They also offer drinks and sides. The prices were reasonable at around $20-40 per person. With the portions it was a great value. Overall, a great dining experience, genuine katsu and reasonable price. We loved it and our kids too!

    Katsu Nabe
    John C.

    I've been here a number of times. It's a simple and clean space, with a very simple menu. You basically pick your main protein, and you get unlimited soup, rice and salad. Service is always pleasant and attentive enough. Every visit before would easily earn four stars for a good quality katsu meal. However on this last visit, the Katsu Nabe caught my eye so I ordered it. Although nicely presented I quickly saw the sauce was more of a soup broth, which made my katsu immediately soggy. The breading normally adds texture, and perhaps any imperfection in the pork loin itself. But with the breading completely soggy, I couldn't help but notice the pork was overcooked and dry in parts. On top of that, the sauce/broth was bland. So for this visit I can only objectively rate as a 3. For future visits, I will stick to what I know they do well.

    Tokujyo Rosu Katsu
    Areeta W.

    Katsu spot with unlimited soup, rice, and salad! Super nice staff! My friend and I waited around 30 minutes to get seated on a Thursday afternoon; the staff were very nice but I fear they might need to hire more people. We got the Tokujyo Rosu Katsu ($29 - 3/5 some pieces dry) and Miso Katsu ($28.50 - 3/5); both had its good pieces but also some mid pieces due to uneven fat distribution which I guess it just be the katsu. The katsu is breaded super nicely and fried evenly. Overall, an OK experience. They also do tip percentage POST tax.

    Cristina L.

    Been here a few times but first time posting a review. Got here as soon as it opened for lunch at 11:30am so there was no lineup. Was a bit disappointed as we wanted to order two of the fish set but was told only one was available and they just open. Like that there's refill for the salad although portions are big it's hard to get more salad. If you like deep fried Japanese cutlet a must try.

    Cheese katsu (apart of Zenbu Katsu)
    May-Lynn L.

    Saku is an amazing restaurant that offers top quality katsu with large portions and strong flavors. I genuinely enjoyed every bite I had during this dinner because the meats/veggies in every item are super high quality and cooked to perfection. The breading they use is very thin and extremely crispy but the thing I appreciated most was that it did not feel like an oil bath. This really increased my ability to chow down without the greasey feeling. We ordered the rosu curry and the zenbu katsu. The zenbu is definitely the move for first timers because we were able to get a variety of pork, chicken, veggies, and seafood. Definitely shareable between 2 people, we were super hungry and we still couldn't take it down and had leftovers. My favorite bites were the pork and the shrimp. The rosu curry was awesome because it eats more like an entree with the curry. The curry has so much depth that if you're in the mood for curry, rice and protein this will definitely hit the spot. Unlimited refills on sides (cabbage and pickled), soup, and rice which was awesome!!!!! I also decided to add the mini kake udon and it was so worth it the udon is so delicious. The broth was so umami and felt very clean and light. I would definitely order udon on its own here. Also have no fear if you order the udon side -- it initially replaces the miso soup side on your platter but after you finish it you can get unlimited bowls of miso you just have to ask. We came to Saku on a Thursday night for dinner and they were bopping. Luckily they have a yelp waitlist which was awesome because we put our names on the list and walked to the restaurant, by the time we got there we had a quick wait while they set up the table. The tables are so big and cute!! The store is super spacious and felt super clean. Overall, Saku is a top restaurant in my books and I will be recommending it to anyone who comes to Vancouver. It'll also be added to my must visits on my next trip here!

    Everett L.

    Looking for the best tonkatsu in Vancouver, then come here. The pork is super soft and the unlimited riced. Soup and cabbage hits the spot. Place is super clean inside also.

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    17 days ago

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    22 days ago

    Good service and awsome taste in downtown of Vancouver. Good ambiance sand clean service

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    8 months ago

    Food was good and nicely presented with awesome services. Priced a bit higher though.

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    Page 1 of 8

    Saku Reviews in Other Languages

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    I came for their Low Tide (happy hour) for some oysters and a beer. I sat at the bar and was…read moregreeted by an excellent bartender. The service is great here and the ambiance is kind of classy. I loved getting to watch the bartender shuck the oysters and grate some fresh horseradish on the plate. It was also really fun that they had a variety of sauces you could put on the oysters ranging from a mild mignonette vinegar and cocktail sauce to spicy hot sauces. The oysters that day were from Fanny Bay, so they were very plump and juicy! The addition of the fresh horseradish on the oysters added a really nice flavor with just a hint of the spicy kick you get from jarred horseradish. I also order the shrimp and lobster sliders, which were very tasty.

    Fresh delicious seafood in a lively restaurant!…read more Had an amazing experience here. Took a solo vacay trip to Vancouver and this was on my bookmarks. Did not disappoint!! Was seated front row to all the action. Watched as the employees shucked the oysters at the oyster bar while enjoying my delicious meal. The ambiance is loud, fun, and open. Service was friendly and helpful. My water was refilled often and the men working the oyster bar had great communication. I ordered the Manila clams and many oysters. Delicious. Amazing. Everything I wanted and blew me away. Presentation was immaculate and taste was phenomenal. Incredible meal that left me smiling the rest of the day. Filling and sooo so delicious. I highly recommend Rodney's and will definitely return when in Vancouver!

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    Seafood pasta - pasta was all dente. The seafood was fresh and well cooked.  Delicious.
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    Blue Water Cafe

    Blue Water Cafe

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    (1.2k reviews)
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    When I made the reservation I had a maybe unusual standard for how I planned to rate this place and…read moreit wasn't based on the food or price or wine list or much of anything you might want to know about. It all started in Santa Monica in 1989, on Academy Awards night. This little buildup probably won't seem very relevant to many here but so what, it's about how well a high-end restaurant receives people with infants. I'm unlikely to have, not to say unworthy of, more than one grandchild. And this one won't see much of dear old grandpa being that my son and family live in Vancouver. Not a great distance to travel but on the other hand it's not next door. Plus the maternal grandparents moved from Connecticut to live in a coastal community located maybe 50 miles from the border. All-wise grandmothers being the helicopters they truly are, what does anyone need this degenerate hedonist for? Well, for one thing the parents need a chance to relive the excesses and finery that they once tasted, as part of their affluent lives before parenthood. while i don't know how to comfort a relentlessly colicy 3-month old i do know how to enjoy the best restaurants in town, or at least ones that will take my reservation. I suggested the Blue Water based on one friend's approval and all were happy. now as to the 1989 academy awards and a well-known restaurant in the day, Chinois. at the time i had a small child in tow, not quite the infant stage of this current vintage but young enough still to be driven by the primeval lizard brainstem than the more highly evolved human cerebral cortex of its brain. i warned the restaurant when making the reservation and was told that, yes, this particular evening they would be quite busy with revelers from the awards ceremony but if we came at 5 pm they would happily accommodate us with young child. just so happens, that exactly almost what the Blue Water said when I called for our reservation. I suppose the best to do is describe the food we ordered. In advance i invited the young couple to do as much damage to my credit card as they wanted, as they'd been cooped up for the past 4 months with this infant. their first choice was this damned seafood tower which seemed to me beforehand, and after as well, to be more a kind of concept product. i'd have preferred to order individual plates of various shellfish, oysters or whatever, than this multilayer assemblage. but it is a showy kind of construction and what did i care, really. everything on the three tiers was quite fresh and tasty except i'd have foregone the shrimp. really shrimp are in my mind more than a bit overrated and don't belong in the same plate with fresh "varietal" oysters from here or there. aside from the tower we ordered a few different sushi, my favorite being yellowtale, plus carrot soup all around (healthy dose of butter there), mains were arctic char, sable and atlantic scallops. if available i have a kind of fetish for sauteed spinach (as a kind of audition dish), and someone wanted an extra round of oysters from i don't know where. after mentally doing a little math i realized the total seemed lightweight, but the wine list took care of that problem. my favorite white wine is chablis grand cru made/bottled by a vigneron (grapegrower/winemaker under one roof). anything else is either a lower tier vineyard or a blend which, while good, lacks a sense of origin. some use a term "terroir" which i ignore but maybe it's more that i ignore the people who like to bandy such abstract wine descriptors about. anyway, here was a perfectly good les clos, about 6 years old, for i think around $250 canadian. i have also to point out that i've been disappointed with almost every euro wine i've had in canada, owing i suspect to the high duty the government places on all imported wine in effort to protect its own ham-handed, homegrown products, which are usually absolutely nothing to write home about. fortunately this particular bottle of chablis was really really good. after all that we had various desserts, and whatever. at Chinois on academy awards night, we arrived at 5 pm and were seated in a very prominent location in the room, but with a plastic sheet under the child's seat. this was a good thought on the part of the manager. without going into any details best to say my 2-yr old made a mess of things but the waitstaff could not have been more accepting. i was frankly impressed, as i was when our dinner at Blue Water came to an end. So my score is 4 for food (i really don't know what it would take to get 5* from me, so take that for what it is) and 1* for absolutely perfect service. Highly recommend this very stylish restaurant for whatever occasion.

    5 stars for the food. The burrata and oysters were delightful starters. My dining companion had the…read morearctic char while I had the sea bass (no fish can be too flaky for this girl) with sides of broccolini, oven roasted tomatoes, herb butter mashed potatoes, and truffle fries. We wrapped up with the sorbet trio and panna cotta. 5 stars for the company. Who are we kidding?? A billion stars for the company. 1 star for a staff member who wasn't our waiter who told us our table was needed for another reservation. This level of aggressive table management screams nyc circa 2012. Not cool. But we didn't let it ruin the incredible evening in Vancouver.

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    Joe Fortes Seafood & Chop House

    Joe Fortes Seafood & Chop House

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    Another amazing meal at Joe Fortes…read more This place is so good and the only downside is the outdoor patio on the second level is still under construction. On a nice day it would have been nice to be on the patio, but will have to wait. Fresh oysters to start, beef carpaccio and crab corn fitters and lobster spoons and a pork chop for dinner. Pavlova for dessert was amazing. Always my go to place for consistent and amazing food and service.

    Located downtown. Food and drinks are usually good when we visit during various dining times…read more Service is usually top notch. Ambiance dining inside or out was great. Parking is available close to restaurant in pockets all over. There are other options to reach restaurant - ride shares, taxi, bus and foot if my hotel is close by. Tourists to locals dining and sometimes sharing celebrations happily. Only 1 bad experience a few years back when waitress (wife of kitchen staff) failed to express to kitchen my request on cooked food preferences. Her attitude was condescending and not appropriate for her position when I brought up my concerns. Like seriously most diners do not want an overcooked piece of meat. Learned from fellow diners that this was her typical demeanor. Happy to learn the nitwit is no longer working there and ruining diners' experiences. Still tipped (but not as generously) during this bad experience because rest of team tried to make our experience enjoyable and shouldn't be penalized. Some other diners said they didn't tip.

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    Looking up
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    Saku - japanese - Updated August 2026

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