Eating at Saku has totally reset my katsu scale because this is far and away the best katsu I've had. They make their own panko and the chicken katsu was cooked perfectly. It was so light and crispy and the chicken was tender and juicy. Saku's katsu was so good that when I think about the katsus I've had is the past at other places I realize now they were just decent katsu. Other highlights here are their house made sesame dressing - so good. They sliced the cabbage salad so thin that in combination with the sesame dressing it was a great combo. I usually don't like that much raw cabbage but I ate every bit of it. The ambience is airy and cool. The staff were really great and asked us about any allergies. We'd walked by this place before and seen a line out the door. Now we know why. read more

Saku - This is the chicken katsu curry. The katsu comes on a bed of rice and curry comes in a gravy boat. - Japanese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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I came back for dinner. Had the Rosu nabe this time (last time I had the regular Rosu). The pork katsu comes served in a (super hot) cast iron dish with a nabe broth with onions and eggs cracked into it. Still comes with a little side of pickles, and unlimited rice, cabbage, and miso soup. No katsu sauce. The katsu was fried to perfection. Juicy, tender, cant complain. But since they serve it in a broth, it does get soggy really quick. Still good, but after a few minutes its just soggy. The broth is nice with rice; comforting kind of meal. The unlimited rice/soup/cabbage is just icing on the cake. My dining partner had the Kake udon (pretty good, noodles good texture and slightly smaller strands than most places) and Menchi Cheese side - basically a pork meatball with cheese and deep fried katsu-style, served with katsu sauce. This was excellent. My original review still stands. Excellent katsu, plus they have the consistency and reliability. $28-30/meal and its plenty of food for 1, especially with unlimited cabbage/rice/soup. Restaurant is nice and comfortable, good spacing and not cramped. Easy recommend. 5/5. read more

Great example of a casual restaurant offering excellent food with staff that's incredibly efficient. 5 star all the way. Worth the line. read more

Saku is a great spot for katsu, especially their pork katsu. They also have a unique option with their cheese katsu, which is worth trying. You can add sides like shrimp or even curry to dip on the side if you prefer that extra flavor. There's unlimited cabbage salad, which is a nice touch--especially since the sesame dressing was one of my favorite parts of the meal. The restaurant itself is very aesthetic and well lit. Wait time wasn't too long, and the service was great. read more

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I loved this place. The katsu is top tier and reminds me of what I would get in Japan. I came for lunch with my family and the portion sizes are super filling for a lunch portion. We for sure were in a food coma. The salad and soup came with refills... and the dressing for the salad is addicting. They explain how to prepare your food if it's your first time as well. This satisfied my katsu craving for sure. read more

Saku - Japanese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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Saku is katsu heaven. The ebi (shrimp) katsu was easily the best bite of the night. Sweet, juicy, and perfectly fried. We ordered the seafood curry katsu, rosu katsu, and udon on the side. Everything came out hot, crunchy, and not oily at all. The unlimited sides are 10/10. I had two servings of the salad alone. Super fresh and so refreshing between bites. Service was fast and friendly, even during the dinner rush. 2nd time at Saku and will definitely be back. Tips! -Join the waitlist or make a res -I added udon w/ soup on the side and it was good but having it on the side means you can DIY a curry udon!!! read more

Saku - seafood katsu - Japanese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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Zenbu Katsu set $43 -Rosu, Hire, Chicken Thigh, Cheese (2pc), Ebi (1pc), Hotate (1pc), and Vegetables (2pc)) Good set to try everything. I liked hire (lean pork) the most. It is not fatty yet very tender and moist. The sauce is a tasty salty. The Katsu are flaky and a bit oily. read more

Saku - Zenbu set with refillable soup, rice and salad - Japanese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Saku = Katsu perfection I love good Tonkatsu restaurants and Saku was on my list of to-go places when I visited Vancouver. After a long hike in Stanley Park, we came to Saku pretty hungry for a late lunch. There was a short wait and we were soon welcomed into their beautiful restaurant. Loved the ambiance - spacious, fresh, sparkling clean, and calming - everything you need to enjoy tons of fried food. We ended up sharing the Zenbu katsu between me and my husband and it was a LOT of food. The platter came with rosu katsu (rich pork loin), hire katsu (leaner pork fillet), chicken thigh katsu, cheese katsu, ebi katsu (jumbo prawn), hotate katsu (jumbo scallop) and some veggie katsu. The ebi and hotate katsu were hands-down our favorites and one each of those left us wanting more to share. For me, I'd rate the rosu katsu right below the seafood katsu - it was bursting with flavor and delicious. My least favorites were the hire katsu and the pumpkin katsu with unripe pumpkin. For first-timers, the zenbu platter is a nice way to taste a little bit of everything and a good value for money. The platter of course came with the signature unlimited rice, miso soup and cabbage with sesame dressing - my favorite part of tonkatsu restaurants. Saku's sesame dressing was perfect and drinkable by itself and we finished almost a bottle of that dressing with multiple refills of the fresh cabbage. Service was impeccable throughout - just the right balance of attentive yet unobtrusive; can't wait to come back to Saku! read more

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Tried the Truffle Hire Katsu today and it was amazing. The truffle aroma was very strong and luxurious--in the best way. It really elevated the dish. The hire katsu itself was perfectly cooked: crispy on the outside, tender and juicy on the inside. The restaurant was clean and had a modern, stylish interior, which made the dining experience even better. Highly recommend if you love truffle flavors and high-quality katsu read more

Saku - Truffle Hide Katsu - Japanese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

After eating our way through multiple restaurants, we settled on this for our last meal. All the photos online cemented it for us. Their reservation system switched from Yelp to Toast, which we didn't find out till we arrived. Our super late lunch was worth the wait and hype. On the periphery of a very popular shopping street, the outside is subtle and unassuming. Interior is pleasant - light woods, lots of warm light, cool couches and chairs. It was PACKED. We started 22 back in line, but got called within 20 minutes. The hostess even asked if we'd like to order ahead since there were large groups, so we did. Within a couple minutes of ordering, our table was ready. And because we ordered ahead there wasn't a long wait for our order. Each order comes in a large wooden box. Ours was particularly bigger because the Zenbu is a meal for 2-3 easily. We added on curry, an extra shrimp, and rice and salad. Here's a breakdown: Unlimited refill items: - tonjiru soup - the more substantial version of miso soup comes out piping hot, and has thinly sliced pork. I've never had this before and this was really nice. - shredded cabbage salad with sesame dressing. My wife says the dressing is 100 out of 10. The store bought equivalents don't compete. I literally made the bootleg version for dinner and it wasn't close. Zenbu feast - this is the Japanese version of an all American fried sampler platter, but demolishes it in every sense. In order of what I liked - ebi - huge shrimp and super sweet. The tartar sauce is so good with it. - cheese - this would be the greatest mozzarella stick I've ever had - kabocha - not oily, super crispy - eggplant - I prefer this tempura battered but really appreciated the crispness - rosu - loin had better texture than the fillet - chicken thigh - epic - hire - scallop - the sides were great. Pickles cut the onslaught of fried stuff, mustard super potent in a good way - katsu sauce - a little runnier than the one I get at the store but super flavorful. Loved it. - curry - I got a side of it to give a spin. Lovely fruity notes, but not overpowering as a curry. Very nice. This place is a spectacular and one we'll come back to visit. read more

Saku - Zenbu Katsu - Japanese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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We were steeped in anticipation, having read all the rave reviews as we walked in for lunch on Labor Day. One look around is and we knew we had to order the tonkatsu platter served with sides of rice, cabbage, sauces, condiments and sesame seeds in a wooden mortar and pestle. My favorites were the minced pork and the scallop tonkatsus but the cheese tonkatsu did surprise me as well. If you are a party of two, you can easily share the platter. The waitstaff was very diligent about coming back to make sure we didn't need more miso or cabbage. The decor is great, the restrooms were clean and we really enjoyed the service. read more

Saku - Tonkatsu platter - Japanese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Ordered signature katsu and it was cooked perfectly. Side dishes and sauces , salt. It was definitely tasty and made me want to return. Ambiance and servers are top notch. read more

Saku - Katsu and lobster - Japanese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Still remains the best spot for katsu. I love the chicken thigh katsu - so juicy. Unlimited soup and salad and rice makes for the perfect fulfilling meal. Service is always so kind and efficient. read more

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The vegetable curry on rice was delicious! It was lightly coated with batter and crispy but not oily at all. My fried had the pork cutlet and we enjoyed it so much! The curry sauce was a generous portion, not on the rice but served in its own container. Loved the miso dressing for the salad! This was definitely a reminder of the cutlet meals from Japan!! The decor was simple but elegant! read more

Saku - Japanese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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We came here at the recommendation of our friend and this place was amazing. We did wait for 10-15 mins but it was a quick wait. They have an extensive menu and all the katsu sets come with free cabbage refills! I got the cheese katsu which was super cheesy and breaded to perfection. It was one of the best cheese katsu I've had. My hubby got the pork loin and also loved it, it was perfectly crispy and juicy! It went well with the sauce they provided. Next time we are in Vancouver, we will be eating here! Total for 2: $60 read more

Saku - Japanese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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I think you can tell that I like this place...we come to Vancouver once a year and eat here 2x during the 3 days we spend here, so that is saying something! My new favorite dish is the ebi hotate curry which comes with 3 shrimps and 2 scallops. Ugh amazing. Cooked to perfection! The cabbage and miso is AYCE and the sauce you can put on the cabbage makes me like cabbage. I need to recipe. Service is always fantastic! read more

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My friend and I came across Saku while we were walking about the area during the evening. It was pretty packed with a waitlist, so we decided to come back the next day for lunch around 12pm and were sat right away! The store is very big, clean, and so nice!! Before we ordered, our server made sure to ask if we had any allergies. We both got the Curry Udon and loved it!! I'm used to curry udon having a thicker broth, but this one was a liquid broth and it was so flavor packed. I'm not from around the area, but this has been my favorite curry udon I've tried so far!! read more

Saku - Curry Udon - Japanese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Ive had Saku on my bookmarks for sometime. I was in the area wanted to see if the line was long. It wasn't. Just note to make sure you add yourself to the QR code waitlist. Someone was blocking it so by the time I added myself several others were in front of me. The host ask if I was ready to order. I wasn't familiar with the menu, decided to go with the cheese katsu. $26. The food was good, after having the cheese katsu I think the traditional pork without cheese would have been better. Service was ok. Waited some time to be seated and for food. The restaurant it self is nice. Overall it was ok. read more

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We've come to Saku several times now over the years and enjoy it each time. It's nice that they use Yelp waitlist! Most recently I came with a large group at opening and we got seated right away. The restaurant is pretty large and spacious, but doesn't have tons of tables. We usually get the Zenbu katsu (an assortment of everything), and maybe a curry and/or noodles if my family wants more food. Everything is delicious and they do katsu very well. We especially enjoy the unlimited side salad with sesame dressing that comes with each set/entree too. Saku has very reasonable prices (especially when comparing to something similar in the US and converting to US dollars) for great quality food. Service is always very kind and attentive too. Check out Saku if you want a good, memorable meal in Vancouver! read more

Great spot! The katsu was super crispy and flaky and all the meats were super tender. I like the variety I got for the zenbu katsu as well. The miso soup was solid, as were the sauces. The yuzu lemonade was also decent as well. The portion was also massive, which I loved read more

Saku - Yuzu lemonade - Japanese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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We love Saku. Every time we want to visit Canada we always make it our duty to visit Saku. The service here is pretty fast and attentive. The vibe is aesthetic casual dining. We've had tonkatsu in Japan and feel like Saku is the closest we have been to getting that experience again. The rosu katsu is more fatty and tender so we always stick to that option. The unlimited soup, rice, and salad are amazing to have as an option if you ever want more. We always opt for more salad because the dressing is so addicting. Also, we get the cheese katsu and ebi whenever we visit too because it is too good to skip out on. We will always come back here whenever we come to visit Vancouver! read more

Saku - Rosu katsu and cheese katsu - Japanese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

This was a very tasty Japanese dining experience in Vancouver! They don't take reservations, but you can get on the waitlist in advance through Yelp. We did this, and we had about a 20 minute wait once we arrived. The interior is fairly large, and we were seated at a large booth. They have a variety of different tonkatsu options including various grades of pork as well as chicken. I had the premium pork option. All meals are served on a tray with soup, salad, and rice. You can get unlimited refills of everything except the meat of course. The salad had a delicious sesame dressing, and the rice was moist and tasty. The soup was super hot and tasty as well. The main event - the pork tonkatsu. It was not as tender as I would have liked, and the exterior coating was a bit oily (but not too bad). I still enjoyed it, though, and I would definitely order it again. Unfortunately the only soft drinks they have are in cans rather than from a fountain with refills. The service was great!! Extremely friendly and attentive. If you have a tonkatsu craving in Vancouver, Saku is a good choice! read more

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I love katau, so I go for it when I visit different cities. I've gone to Saku in Richmond and Vancouver multiple times. Their service and food were always excellent. read more

yes this Place is awesome and the servers are very friendly nice atmosphere very clean restaurant and the food are great. I have been coming here and bringing friends and some members of our Church specially the Mormon Missionaries infact they love it here and they really love the food They love the Chicken Curry katsu . I always Order the seafood Katsu with Prawns and Scallops love it!!! So Everytime they want to eat They ask for Saku restaurant read more

One of my favorite meals of our two week vacation. We don't have a restaurant like this in my area. The pork (Rosu Katsu) was tender and tasty. I loved that it came with soup, rice and salad with a wonderful sesame dressing. Everything was delicious. My husband chose the Kake Udon which was really good as well. The restaurant has a cool, clean vibe and our server was excellent. She was great at explaining the menu. read more

Saku - Japanese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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Delicious! We got the lunch pork, lunch shrimp and a side of pumpkin. All crispy, just a touch greasier than we have had at other Katsu restaurants but nothing that made it unpleasant to eat. The pumpkin was great! Would return. read more

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The best spot for katsu in Vancouver! There are so many locations and the katsu is always so crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside! Don't skip the unlimited soup and cabbage salad because they balance out the meal perfectly! Highly recommend trying the ebi katsu if you're looking for something a little lighter! read more

This place was amazing! The food was crispy, fresh, and filling. It was like a dream come true eating the Japanese fried chicken. The Zenbu Katsu - variety of pork katsu, chicken katsu, cheese, scallop, and tempura shrimp and pumpkin. Also included is fresh cabbage, sesame, miso soup, and sauces Indoor seating only and it is refreshing inside. Good lighting, natural lighting, and welcoming atmosphere. The servers are also such nice people and polite. Restrooms inside are super clean too. Parking was a bit tough, street parking. read more

Saku - Zenbu Katsu - Japanese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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We ordered the signature pork loin katsu set and curry chicken thigh katsu set. Good service - the waitress is a trainee and she is courteous and listens well to our order. Just her voice is very soft that when she repeats our orders we have some difficulty in hearing her clearly. Otherwise she is attentive to our needs, eg to refill the cabbage salad. The pork loin katsu is moist and soft. The grinder sesame katsu sauce is flavorful. High ceiling and the store is spacious. Overall an enjoyable dinning experience. read more

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Great katsu! Both pork and chicken. Would love to come back to try the signature cheese one. The kids plate was awesome and kiddos loved it. Dinner * Pork katsu (Excellent) * Chicken katsu (Very good) * Kids plate (Excellent) read more

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Hailed as one of the best katsu places but ngl I felt a little underwhelmed. Most of our group preferred the fillet over the loin Katsu the sesame salad dressing on the shredded cabbage was also great! read more

Saku - Japanese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Really good katsu that isn't super oily and doesn't feel heavy. I love the salad it comes with as it helps cut the fried food. The miso soup is also very yummy. Would definitely recommend this place if you're visiting read more

What an incredible experience. This ended up being one of my favorite restaurants in Vancouver. My friend had wanted to go here so we went around 8pm on a Saturday. It was pretty busy but they were able to accommodate us immediately. The interior of the restaurant is so beautiful. The employees were so nice and attentive throughout our entire stay. For the food, we ended up ordering the following dishes: The Zenbu Katsu (assortment of katsu) Cheese Katsu Kake Udon Deep fried Oyster Potato Croquette Everything was delicious and I mean everything. My personal favorites were between the Rosu Katsu, hire Katsu and chicken thigh katsu. Every single bite, I was just so amazed by the consistency. I'll definitely come back here again when I'm in Vancouver. Thank you so much Saku! read more

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We were walking down Robson on a beautiful Saturday when we passed by Saku, a place we've been recommended by friends saying they had amazing katsu. We were shocked that there was no wait, so we went in and we're seated immediately. No issues with having an infant. It's a lot more spacious than you'd think from the outside and it felt very warm and clean. Hip and modern. I ended up getting their miso katsu and it did not disappoint. The sauce was not too strong as I've heard miso katsu sauce can be on the saltier side, but it was palatable. The katsu had a nice crunch, but at the same time the pork was very soft and juicy. It's up there with the katsu I've had in Japan. It definitely made me want to try the other katsus on the menu. I took some nibbles of my family's mini zenbu katsu and that was solid as well. Definitely worth the hype for me. It's on the pricier end, but if you appreciate a good katsu, it's worth trying. read more

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A very elegant, spacious restaurant with very calming pastel colours. They have a limited menu of katsu, but thats all they need as there are lineups for this place. Each portion of katsu comes with their house made miso soup, salad and rice. Miso soup very rich and tasty. Salad came with sesame salad dressing that was actually liquid crack so that was also very good. The rice was only okay, but that comes with high expectations after some very good rice at another restaurant. Pork Katsu - crispy outside juicy inside Cheese katsu - first couple bites were nice, but gotta eat this fast because its less tasty when it starts getting cold. read more

Saku - Japanese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Nice servers, quick service usually and good portion of katsu. One of the best place to get katsu. It's a bit pricey compared to the other katsu place but the juiciness of the meat makes up for the price. I like the salad dressing and the tonkatsu sauce. The picture is taken a year ago so I don't remember what I got back then, but I tried the potato croquettes. It's not what I expected and would be more worth it to get something else for the sides. read more

Saku - Katsu and croquettes - Japanese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

We ordered zenbu katsu, so we can try a bit of everything, with oysters and curry add on. Our favorites were the fried oysters, scallops and cheese katsu. I enjoyed the chicken thigh over the pork since the pork wasn't fatty/tender enough to my liking. Nonetheless, everything was excellent and we were bloated by the time we finished. It was plentiful for 2 people. We came on a Saturday evening and it was about an hour wait. read more

Saku - Zenbu katsu - Japanese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

The first thing that stood out to me about this place was the warm lighting and light wood finish which gives such a welcoming and clean atmosphere to the restaurant. The service was attentive kind and super helpful throughout our dinner. I got the chicken thigh katsu curry and thought everything tasted great. The unlimited rice, salad and soup makes this so worth it. The sesame peanut salad dressing is delicious. I got the cheese katsu as an add-on and loved it as an appetizer. I wish they had some spicier chicken options, or had spice levels on their curry maybe? I just wished I had something to give everything a slight kick. read more

Saku - Chicken thigh katsu curry - Japanese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

If you're craving katsu, Saku is definitely the spot to check out. They don't take reservations, and there's often a line out the door, so I recommend lining up before it opens or visiting during off-peak hours. The interior is super aesthetic and clean, making it a great dining atmosphere. The service is fantastic--the staff are so friendly and helpful, which adds to the experience. I ordered the tokujyo rosu katsu, and it was perfectly crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. The meal also came with unlimited rice, tonjiru, and shredded cabbage, which was such a nice touch. The salad dressing for the cabbage was incredibly tasty too. read more

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Saku is honestly the best donkatsu restaurant I've ever been to! I've been to Japan many times, and this place is even better than some of the famous spots there. We were in Vancouver for just three days on a family trip, but we ended up going to Saku twice because we knew we'd miss it. So crispy, juicy, and just perfect -- highly recommend! read more

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