Saw this place popping up on social media and I'm always down to try a new Katsu restaurant so was excited to give this place a try! They have a waitlist you can join from your phone. The waitlist estimated 20-30 minutes but my party still had to wait an additional 30 minutes. Came on a Friday night and they were packed! The inside has a moderate amount of seating with tablets at each table so you can order when ready. I looked at the menu while waiting so I could order right away. Thankfully the food came out pretty quick. I got the Tonkatsu with a side of curry and it was excellent 10/10! The skin was golden and crispy and the pork was extremely thick, juicy, and flavorful. One of my favorite katsus so far! The side of curry was also a great addition. Initially wanted to try the cheese katsu but I was sad to see they had sold out. Turnover was a bit slow, but they did just recently open so I'm sure they're still working out the kinks. Will definitely be back to try the cheese katsu! read more

88 Katsu - 88 Tonkatsu - Japanese Near Me - Fullerton, California

We came here specifically looking to try their Katsu. When we arrived, the server let us know that their fridge was not working and they only had the jumbo katsu and noodles. Everything else on their menu would be unavailable. We tried the jumbo katsu with curry and sauce on the side. The katsu was crispy, tender and not at all dry. It also wasn't heavy either. The star of the show was surprisingly their cabbage side. It was soooo good and I loved how they shaved the cabbage. Overall, I'd like to come back and try the other katsu items they offer. Quick service, tentative staff and good food! read more

88 Katsu - Japanese Near Me - Fullerton, California

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When we arrived for Saturday lunch, we were quickly seated. There seems to be plentiful seating, although nearby parking is a little difficult since it is shared between multiple businesses in the plaza. The corner with the TV playing Twice was a cute vibe. The atmosphere was very youthful, with Kpop playing on the speakers. Ordering is through a tablet on the table and food came quickly. The 88 Katsu had a good crunch on the breading but the meat inside was dry and the texture was a little off - almost like it was a chicken nugget instead of a pork loin. *just what we think it tasted like* The cheese katsu was subpar compared to competitors, but the breading also had a good crunch. They provided two sauces and a variety of sides which was nice, but I didn't find myself using the sauces since it tasted a little sweeter than what I'm used to. We enjoyed the wasabi and salt crystals, which increased the flavor of the katsu. Surprisingly, the kimchi was my favorite side dish! Service was good. Our waters were refilled often and we were checked in on, as well. Overall, the breading was done very well and the abundant sides, sauces, and wasabi and salt were thoughtful additions to the entrees. However the main part of the meal, the meat itself, was supbar compared to other competitors in Orange County. read more

88 Katsu - 88 Katsu (front) and Cheese Katsu (back) - Japanese Near Me - Fullerton, California

A new katsu spot appeared in Fullerton and immediately, my coworkers and I were on a mission to try this spot! We first tried this spot in October and we were able to snag a table for the six of us easily. They have a tablet by the table where you can view and order your items. It did take a while for the food to come out, but we understood as they had just recently opened. Luckily, the food did not disappoint! I liked how tender the katsu was, and when I saw my coworker ordered the cheese katsu, I couldn't stop thinking about it. They really did not skimp on the cheese here. If you like things a little spicy, my coworkers enjoyed the spicy katsu with the curry add-on. We tried coming back last week on a Wednesday lunch and holy schmokes, that place was crowded!! Due to time constraint, we went to Dooki next door, but we're definitely going to come back and get our katsu cravings satisfied soon! We didn't know about the Yelp waitlist so we'll have to remember to utilize that the next time. read more

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Best katsu around! Perfectly crispy and the pork is moist at the same time. I also got the cold spicy bibim udon which was well seasoned and super refreshing. Jessie was my server and was very friendly and attentive- excellent experience. Highly recommend! read more

88 Katsu - Best katsu around. Super crispy and moist! I also got the spicy bibim udon which was well seasoned and refreshing. Highly recommend! - Japanese Near Me - Fullerton, California

Everything was delicious! I loved that I could add cheese katsu to the King Pork Katsu, and the portions were perfect. Our server Jay was very friendly, and everyone was so kind. Highly recommend--we'll definitely be back! read more

88 Katsu - Japanese Near Me - Fullerton, California

Its been the go-to curry spot since I first tried it. Their curry is very flavorful and the katsu has that perfect crunch texture. Our waitress Elly was very friendly and attentive whenever we needed anything. As a bonus I really enjoy the atmosphere and the chill music they play while you enjoy your food. read more

88 Katsu - Tteokgalbi Katsu, so good! - Japanese Near Me - Fullerton, California

I ordered the Jumbo Katsu -- a thin, butterflied pork loin that was panko-crunchy on the outside and moist in the inside. However, the katsu sauce was something less desirable -- it had a sour taste to it, unlike the savory katsu sauce I am familiar with. The grated cabbage salad was fresh but could have used more dressing. The kimchi side dish was good but the serving size was small. Not sure if it's refillable as the staff was not accessible. Guests order food on a screen device attached to the end of the table -- which is out of reach if one is sitting at the opposite end of the table. I personally prefer human interaction, especially if I had questions or special requests. The place is clean. Parking could be a challenge as it is shared with other adjacent businesses read more

88 Katsu - Jumbo pork loin katsu, grated cabbage salad, katsu sauce, miso soup, and side dishes. - Japanese Near Me - Fullerton, California

Absolutely loved this spot. 88 Katsu delivers exactly what you want from a katsu place--crispy, filling, and fairly priced. I ordered the Chicken Katsu, and it was perfectly fried: super crispy on the outside, juicy and tender on the inside. My friend got the Pork Katsu with the curry add-on. While the curry itself was nothing particularly special (could honestly be skipped), the pork katsu was cooked really well and had great flavor. What really stood out were the sides--everything from the shredded cabbage to the sauces and small plates was solid and well thought out. Portions are generous, and for the quality and amount of food you get, the price feels very fair. Overall, this is a great go-to spot for comfort Japanese food. Even without the curry wow-factor, the execution of the katsu and sides easily earns this place 5 stars. Definitely coming back. read more

88 Katsu - Chicken katsu (bottom) pork katsu (top) - Japanese Near Me - Fullerton, California

Hands down the best katsu spot in Fullerton! The katsu here is thick and insanely juicy -- every bite is crispy on the outside and super tender inside. But if you like Korean style mats go for the Jumbo Katsu... it's a straight-up monster and worth every penny. But the real sleeper hit is their udon. These aren't your typical machine-extruded round noodles -- they look hand-cut (kinda square-ish with irregular edges) and have the most perfect chewy, bouncy texture. The broth is clean and flavorful, and the noodles are always cooked spot-on. I crave this udon all the time now. Takeout is fast, and the staff are genuinely polite and friendly every single time. Highly recommend the 88 Katsu + udon combo. You can thank me later! read more

88 Katsu - 88 katsu and jumbo katsu - Japanese Near Me - Fullerton, California

Just opened! Food was great and service was on point. Wait wasn't too long and we were able to stand in line via the Yelp app while sitting in the car. You order via the monitor. Not many drink options at the moment or appetizers so we ended up going elsewhere after, but solid spot. We got the signature tonkatsu and the curry. read more

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This might be my new favorite katsu restaurant. I used to go to curry do but it unfortunately closed down. I was originally going to go next door to kitch cafe but we had just missed their lunch hours so we decided to go here instead since it has been on my bookmarks. We went around 3pm and got sat down right away. Ordering is very easy, there's a tablet on the tablet where you can send in your orders. We didn't wait too long for our food to come out once it was placed. We probably waited 8-10 minutes which isn't bad at all. I ordered the cheese tonkatsu and that cheese pull is perfect. Not sure what the orange sauce it came with was but it was absolutely delicious. My sister ordered the spicy tonkatsu and my boyfriend got the curry katsu. Both delicious! Ive been to some restaurants where the Katsu was slightly dry but the katsu here isn't dry at all, it was juicy! The spicy tonkatsu wasn't spicy at all but still good, just wish it was more spicy. If you're craving katsu, I highly recommend this place! This will definitely be my new go to katsu place. read more

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I found a new Katsu curry restaurant on Instagram a week ago and bookmarked it to discover later. I decided to try a new spot in Melvern mall during my vation. I got there early before opening time, waiting until 11:00 and checked the menu on the window. The location is right next to the Starbuck's. I noticed this Barnes n Noble local mall has changed a lot lately and remained only old anchors such as Target, Ross, Starbuck's, Barn n Noble, panda express, bath n bodywork, Wells Fargo, and Gold gym replaced by EOS Fitness. Many new korean restaurants are opening this area, New ddeokbokki restaurant Dooki, korean soup Tang restaurant, korean bakery Tous Les Jours. I was so excited about the 88 jumbo pork cutlet and cheese cutlet which lots of Yelpers mentioned on the reviews. First, I saw the tablet for order at each table and the clean dining area. I love bright ambiance. My hubby likes korean style big and crunchy katsu so I ordered 88 jumbo katsu, one beer, and cheese katsu for me. The service was not too slow on the opening time. I first tasted jumbo katsu, lots of people commented about the size. Huge!!! Enough for 2 people. The cutlet thickness was enough, not too thin. The side dishes were jalapeno pickles, radish kimchi called kkockdduki, white rice, cabbage salad, and kalbi soup w radishes. The cutlet sauce was exactly korean style mild, light sauce. Everything was good, crunchy katsu, huge portion, fresh cabbage salad, but the white rice was almost hard stone texture, uncooked completely. I got upset and my hubby also complained. My cheese katsu was soft inside, crunchy outside w well balanced texture. However, our final pick was 88 jumbo katsu except the rice. Very dissapointing!! In general, the white rice is 101 basic essential daily food in Japan as well as Korea. I think they have to know the problem why the rice was hard, raw, no chewy flavors, uncooked 40% of rice grains. I remember now one of sushi restaurants had hard sushi rice when I ordered the unagi roll in the past, I never went back to that sushi restaurant. I talked to the manager about the rice. So many Yelpers commented about the rice since they opened the business. I even read the reviews about hard rice when I bookmarked this new restaurant. Was not enough time to fix the same issue for 2 months???? I have no idea. Once I got the check, he didn't charge one cutlet, but I felt I didn't want to leave any tips. I just wanted the chewy, flavorful rice w my fave pork katsu. Hopefully they fix the problem ASAP, we can try it again soon. Chewy fully cooked rice....please!!! I recommend here if you look for korean style or Japanese style katsu...haha. For the tip, we tried a new Mitsuwa Cypress Tokyo katsu, the portion was so tiny, no service at all w expensive price. That is why I expect 88 katsu maintaining the quality of foods. read more

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This place has been on my list for months and I'm so happy I went. First off their katsu's are big proportions, and are worth your money. The chicken and pork katsu's are seasoned well and marinated well- they are crispy! Unlike other katsu places, I genuinely enjoyed their meal. The salad and banchans were a good add-on. Not sure if the soup is miso, but the soup was also good. The food presentation is cute, made me want to take the tray home for myself tbh. I love that they separated everything, and made it look so neat. The curry tonkatsu is filled with flavors that go well with the meat. The chicken katsu was not too strong, it was sweet enough. I liked how we were able to order everything on the iPad, as it made deciding so much easier. The service was good, nothing really special in my opinion. Would definitely come back again! read more

88 Katsu - Curry Tonkatsu - Japanese Near Me - Fullerton, California

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We found a new Katsu restaurant in the Barnes N Noble mall Fullerton. Old anchors are leaving lately and new Korean restaurants are opening. This is located next to the Starbuck's. Easy to find it and the parking is huge around Barnes and Noble, Ross, and EOS fitness areas. We waited for 20 mins until 11, opening time. Not many customers yet, I don't like too packed during lunch time. I was not used to order using the tablet. But it was quite simple click and submit our order at the table. Our choice was popular 88 jumbo katsu, korean style, my wife got the cheese katsu. The service was friendly, not too slow, we got the 1st fresh deep fried jumbo pork katsu and cheese katsu. Looked so crunchy, huge cutlet w cabbage salad, white rice, beef soup? And jalapeño pickles, and radish kimchi. My katsu was super crunchy, I felt cruchy sound when I cut it in small bite sizes. The sauce is mild, not too dark like Japanese cutlet sauce. I loved it. But I noticed my white rice was not fully cooked, almost more than 40% was raw, hard texture. I was not happy. My wife said the same complaining about the rice. She got upset. Why didn't they make chewy, flavorful rice???? It is important to measure right amount of water and rice portions to make the perfect chewy rice. Her cheese katsu was cheesy soft inside, crunchy outside. Well balanced w dark japanese katsu sauce. Today we expected a lot about this new katsu restaurant. Last week, Japanese Mitsuwa Cypress finally opened near our home. We tried Tokyo katsu on the grand opening day. Disappointed!!! Their katsu was so tiny, only 4 slices just like kid's meal w high price, no service at all inside Mitsuwa marketplace food court. That is why we looked for the new real, high quality of katsu restaurant around Buena Park, Fullerton. We complained about the rice at the end of our brunch. Hopefully the manager and the kitchen crew team can fix the issue soon. We want to go back to try the katsu soon. Can we eat the fully cooked flavorful rice next time????? Good location and quality for the katsu specialty. The other competitors are Yoko katsu, katsu restaurant in the Zion mall. If the rice is good, I recommend here, 88 katsu for the cutlet lovers like us. read more

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Had dinner at this new katsu spot and it's definitely worth a visit! The katsu was perfectly crunchy on the outside and tender on the inside and it's just absolutely delicious. They also offer soba and udon, which makes it a great place whether you're craving something crispy or comforting. The portions are generous, and everything tastes fresh and well-prepared. A solid go to spot for anyone who loves Japanese/korean comfort food! We'll be back again soon to try their jumbo and cheese katsu. read more

88 Katsu - Udon - Japanese Near Me - Fullerton, California

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It looks like this place hasn't been open for very long, so I wanted to give it a fair try. When I walked in, I received a cup of ice water within about five minutes, but there was no greeting at all. The restaurant was quiet, but the service still felt a bit unorganized. For a place where staff depend on tips, basic manners when customers arrive or leave are important. As for the food, the rice was hard and difficult to eat, and the cabbage slaw was tough, so I couldn't finish it. Some of the Korean-inspired side dishes were a nice idea, but they felt more like kids' snacks rather than proper sides. I think with better staff training and more attention to the basics, this place has potential as they continue to settle in. read more

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This katsu place is new and I heard a lot of hype around it so I wanted to check it out. I came with a larger party so the wait was a lot longer, but they were extremely accommodating and on top of their work. I was shocked that there was no automatic tip included for larger parties because we had 17 people and normally restaurants have automatic gratuity so that was a plus. The food itself was pretty good, I got the curry katsu and it was pretty filling, tender, and well balanced. This was the first katsu place where the katsu came with a mushroom soup rather than miso. I personally liked it but some people in my group weren't the biggest fans of it. The vibes in there were nice, it was clean and I liked how it was a self ordering system so once you are seated you can order right away read more

88 Katsu - Japanese Near Me - Fullerton, California

The food was delicious! Elly checked on my guest and I regularly, the service was fantastic. Music choice was great and at a great volume, kinda want the playlist! The katsu don was so tasty, I'd definitely order it again if there weren't other options I want to try. read more

88 Katsu - Katsu Don - Japanese Near Me - Fullerton, California

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We ordered the jumbo katsu to share between two people and it was more than enough. It came with three separate pieces and we ended up taking a piece home. The menu is very straight forward with a few katsu options and udon/soba noodles. You can order at your table using the tablet. The food came out pretty quick, the workers are very nice. There's indoor seating and the restaurant has a nice ambiance, it was little warm in there on a hot day. ig: @cravingswithcat read more

88 Katsu - Jumbo Katsu (ig: @cravingswithcat) - Japanese Near Me - Fullerton, California

This is my first time here at 88 Katsu and I have nothing but great things to say. I'll start off by Elly helping us out and recommending the Yuzu Hallabong sparkling Ade which came out sweet and refreshing. The chicken katsu is also very good and tender along with the udon noodles having a flavorful broth. read more

Even tho it's a Katsu place, the udon is SO good! Highly recommend. Fair pricing too! read more

88 Katsu - Jumbo Katsu - Japanese Near Me - Fullerton, California

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New fav katsu spot! Genuinely loved it so much that my fiance and i found ourselves craving it again within the same wk. We ordered the regular 88 katsu, spicy katsu, & udon. All are so good. Their katsu is super soft and flavorful. The sauce is unique from all the other options around here. We love yoko but this became our new fav! I love the wasabi & salt that also comes with it because it adds a new flavor / way to eat it. Spicy sauce is also sooooo good. We get it on the side to dip & it's not a crazy spice. Udon is also rly good. We both wished it came out a bit more hot bc it was a bit lukewarm but flavor was rly on point. Have yet to try the soba noodles but we'll definitely be back soon to try it! Inside is rly spacious & clean. Service is super fast & staff seems always rly nice & helpful. Definitely think it's worth a visit. read more

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Tried this new popular Korean katsu joint and overall and while it's not bad, it cannot compare to places like Kagura. To be fair, this place is more Korean style and it showed in the sauce and curry. We tried the jumbo katsu and curry katsu and weren't a huge fan of the katsu sauce and the curry here. I am glad I asked for the sauce on the jumbo katsu on the side because I don't like the Korean style where they already put it on the cutlet. Plus it keeps the katsu crispier. The sauce itself is not the dark colored katsu sauce you may be used to, but a brighter red sauce that seemed tomato-y. I wasn't a huge fan of it. The katsu itself was very well fried, and was super crispy and moist thanks to a modest amount of fat. The curry katsu was super lean and rather dry because of it. I preferred the jumbo one compared to this one. I also didn't like the curry here at all, it is more Korean style curry that's also lighter and more yellow than the ones you may find at Japanese places. It's missing that deep curry flavor and I didn't care for the ground meat in it. Overall, I would say the jumbo was better than the curry katsu but based on the sauce and curry, I probably won't be back to try them again. read more

88 Katsu - curry katsu - katsu was on the leaner side, wasn't a huge fan of the curry - Japanese Near Me - Fullerton, California

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Jessie was a great server! The katsu is crispy and juicy too. The curry rice was simply divine, with ground meat pieces in the sauce. The portions are very decent, and each entree comes with pickled jalapeños and kimchi radish. I would go back again to try the rest of the menu! read more

88 Katsu - Japanese Near Me - Fullerton, California

This katsu place is very legit. One of the best katsu I've ever had. It was crispy and the batter stayed on and didn't fall apart. The meat was cooked thoroughly. Perfect cut and taste in my opinion. We got to go and the service was about 15 mins to get out order. The place had great ambiance and plenty of seating. Their to go bag and packaging is fancy. Adding this to my favorite places to take families and friends! read more

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I believe this is a fairly new plaza that lots of korean restaurants are occupying. Lots of parking, nearby shopping. My friend and I came here to try out the Jumbo Tonkatsu. The Katsu was huge! It had a sweet ketchup sauce over it. The cabbage salad with the dressing was light and refreshing. The rice was a bit dry but the ban chans were great. I got the Kitsune Noodle as something light, the broth is on the sweeter end and I liked the additional of red pepper flakes on the side to add some heat. The fish cakes were solid, wished it came with more. Service was great, our food was handled by a robot which was cool. Tables were clean and lots of natural light. Restroom were clean. read more

88 Katsu - Kitsune Noodle & Jumbo Tonkatsu - Japanese Near Me - Fullerton, California

Let me introduce you to my Japanese neighborhood gem for insanely crispy and juicy katsu. Honestly a lot of spots around here are hit or miss but I LOVE this spot. Famous for their Japanese fried katsu that's crispy without being greasy and meat that's tender and juicy, this spot is one of the few that have also mastered the curry sauce. I prefer to pour my curry over rice and theirs is actually more of a meat sauce and goes down SO well with rice. Don't sleep on their udon either. The noodles are bouncy with a super unique shape to them, and the kitsune broth was umami without being too heavy. Thanks for reading! ^-^ read more

88 Katsu - 88 tonkatsu with curry / Kitsune udon - Japanese Near Me - Fullerton, California

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My family ate at this establishment on August 28, 2026. The food tasted great, but we all struggled with severe diarrhea that lasted all night, and we could not sleep. read more

tried the pork katsu, cheese katsu, and curry at 88Katsu, and everything was excellent. The pork was noticeably thicker than most other katsu places, yet still incredibly tender and juicy. The texture was especially impressive -- crispy on the outside, but soft and flavorful inside. Overall, it was one of the best katsu experiences I've had. This might be the best katsu spot in my neighborhood. read more

88 Katsu - Japanese Near Me - Fullerton, California

Came here and tried the spicy don katsu, jumbo don katsu, and katsu don. The katsu don was hearty, comforting, and super filling. The jumbo katsu and regular katsu actually have different textures. The jumbo seemed to use a mix of dark chicken meat, which made it juicier and less dry, while the regular katsu is lighter. Pro tip: you can ask for their spicy sauce on the side no matter which katsu you order. I'd go with jumbo katsu + spicy sauce on the side or just a classic katsu don. Overall, a satisfying spot if you're craving katsu! read more

88 Katsu - Japanese Near Me - Fullerton, California

The food was sooo good!! We ordered from a iPad at the table which was cool. Definitely satisfied my katsu craving, loved the cabbage salad, miso soup and sides that also came with the order. Curry had a different consistency than what I'm used to and I loved it. Would def come back. They only had one beer and I thought it was small for $9, hoping they add more alcohol options eventually. read more

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Very good Katsu although a bit pricey, it's homemade though so it makes sense. Single entree portions can easily be shared with two people to save money read more

We came on a Sunday for lunch, and there was no wait. You order everything in the screen at your table. The jumbo katsu was the perfect portion for two people. My boyfriend had been here before and had a good experience, but this time, the katsu was dry without the sauce. I wished the salad came with dressing. read more

88 Katsu - jumbo katsu - Japanese Near Me - Fullerton, California

I actually came here back in October 2025, and I'm not sure if they were still trying to figure out operations as they seemed fairly new at the time. I got the 88 tonkatsu and my friend got the curry katsu. While the tonkatsus were thick and juicy, my soup came out lukewarm (friend's came out much hotter than mine) and parts of the curry sauce from my friend's plate were cold. The flavors were good, but we were caught off guard as to why/how only certain parts of our dish were cold. Other than that, we were seated quickly and food came out pretty quick. It would be a nice place to go to for a nice weekend dinner, IMO. read more

88 Katsu - 88 tonkatsu - Japanese Near Me - Fullerton, California

Food was good, did not enjoy the AI music during my meal the whole time, though. I got the Zaru Soba twice. Good flavor. Tried some of the katsu. Delicious. Just the music was a bit triggering. Overall great experience. read more

88 Katsu is hands-down one of the best katsu spots I've been to. The breading is perfectly crispy without being greasy, and the meat stays juicy every time. Portions are generous, the sauces are on point, and our server Lydia was fantastic, attentive and friendly, making the whole experience even better. read more

I've been here a total of 4 times now and ordered the same thing each time - jumbo katsu & soba. The first 3 times, I really liked the food but just wished the portions were larger bc it seemed a bit too expensive for what I was getting? I came back a couple days ago for lunch & the katsu was larger but there was sooo much more batter in each bite than meat. I THINK they just flattened out the meat more to make it larger? The soba was larger though so I can't complain about that. I have gestational diabetes & the first 3 times I've visited, it's been a safe meal for me so I was excited to come back. But the most recent time I came, the definitely changed something & there was just sooo much batter it made my numbers spike The service & ambience was solid though!! read more

A no nonsense katsu place doing what it does best. Menu is just limited to katsu and udon/soba. The pork katsu was great, a crispy exterior with tender pork loin inside. The cheese katsu was also very good, like an upscale, fat mozzarella stick. You self order off the iPad menu and the food comes out in good time. The place was full on a weeknight at 6pm, so I'd expect a long wait on the weekends. read more

88 Katsu - 88 Tonkatsu set - Japanese Near Me - Fullerton, California

Tried new local place and was blown away by the katsu. Perfectly fried. Not greasy. Succulent inside. The curry is quite good. The cabbage is so finely shaved and the dressing is perfect. It's been awhile since I've been impressed with a Korean place since I live in Buena Park and just desensitized from the abundance of choices - yes we're spoiled in OC when it comes to Asian food. read more

88 Katsu - Curry pork katsu - Japanese Near Me - Fullerton, California

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