Katsu Jin has quickly become a new staple for me. Their tonkatsu is incredibly authentic -- I love…read morethe ritual of grinding the sesame seeds for the katsu sauce, it makes the whole experience feel so fresh and intentional. If there's a wait, just check in and they'll give you a buzzer. Sometimes the wait can be quite long so I try to go right when they open for dinner. Definitely eat your meal in the restaurant -- the tonkatsu is best when it's hot, crispy, and straight from the kitchen. Service is always very friendly, and the food is consistently delicious. Their tonkatsu is the star, but the furikake corn ribs are a must‑try too. A reliable, comforting spot that never disappoints!

This establishment is quite small, but we were able to get seated right away since we arrived right…read morewhen it opened at 5 PM on a Saturday. By the time we left around 7 PM, there was already a small wait. On the bright side, parking was easy, which is always a plus. The mango matcha was surprisingly good. You could really taste the mango flavor blended with the matcha. I ordered the cheese katsu, and it was definitely very cheesy. The only downside was that there wasn't much meat in the katsu itself. Service was fast and attentive throughout our visit.

Tokyo Soul specializes in rice dishes and curry. I will say that their extra spicy curry was…read moreexcellent. Yes, spicy but in a good way where the flavor wasn't killed. We ordered a lot of food and I forgot to take a picture of the karaage. The service was excellent and taken care of by two servers. They were so friendly and on top of everything. Ambiance 9/10 Service 10/0 Cleanliness 10/10 Bathrooms N/A Food 10/10 Value 9/10 Will I Return? Yes!

After walking around the mall, we had just stopped by here about 45 minutes to closing, and we were…read morepleasantly surprised. We had the pork katsu curry and the beef curry, and it came with a combo of salad and miso soup, and the size of the curry dish was pretty big too. The curry itself was very flavorful, and both cuts of meat were tender and goes very well with the curry sauce. Service was good and friendly, I know it's not easy in the last hour prior to closing so I appreciate the staff taking care of us that night.

I was too excited for my food so I ended up taking this pic mid-meal. I appreciated that they gave…read moreme my katsu chicken curry with a curry bowl as opposed to the curry being served with the plate with the chicken. I feel like not a lot of places offer that and it was nice to see. We also got the cold soba which was perfect for the weather. Wasabi, onion, the whole soba package. This place was good and charming with the ducky decor. The staff were also super nice. Will def be back!

My favorite place to get cold noodles! It's definitely a hole in the wall spot! The staff is always…read morefriendly and attentive. Food: honestly everything is really good! They give you a light salad as an appetizer which is really airy and refreshing. The lunch specials are the best for the deals so try to go around that time! For cold noodle options they have ramen, udon, and my personal favorite soba! The portions of the soba are huge and the amount of different kinds of tempura is definitely filling (squid, shrimp, potato, carrot, cilantro). The sauce to dip the cold noodles in are perfectly balanced in flavor and comes with green onions and wasabi as an add on if you want! Atmosphere: cute place with very humble and on brand theme of ducks! They are all over the place even the restroom! Price: price is not bad for the amount of food you get, but would definitely try to go during lunch.

We were in Los Angeles for a college graduation and decided to try Kagura in the area after hearing…read moregreat things about their tonkatsu. It absolutely lived up to the hype. The tonkatsu was some of the best we've ever had--perfectly crispy on the outside, tender and juicy on the inside, and clearly made with high-quality ingredients. Kagura is known for its specialty tonkatsu, and it shows in every bite. The portions were generous and came with all the sides needed for a complete meal. We left completely satisfied and felt the quality was well worth the price. The service was excellent from start to finish--friendly, attentive, and efficient without making us feel rushed. Finding a restaurant that excels in both food and service can be rare, but Kagura delivered on both. If you're a tonkatsu fan, this is a place you shouldn't miss. We'll definitely be back the next time we're in Los Angeles!

Food. Grrreat. Ive been meaning to try this place but there's always a line outside except for…read more12:30 on a Sunday. We were a party of two and were given a choice of a table for two or a more comfy booth. Since my guest was my mom, comfy booth. She had the Don (bento) with fried pork wet on top of rice, with eggy soy sauce. ..I sampled it ... It was great 5/5. I had the chicken was crispy 5/5 not gready...chicken was tender yet crunchy panko breaking... with curry.. the curry had a slight bitter note but it was fine, and thick, it was a bit goopy on the pour... and had a thin skinlike layer which was odd but it ate fine 4/5 There's a free appetizer...choice of fried oyster or fried crab cream like a large round rangoon...I can't eat seafood, bit mom enjoyed it. She gave it 5/5. We both loved the salad, the pickled carrots and two cubesof sweet potato., and the pickled Persian cucumbers. Small tiny discreet portions of each but elegantly and a great palette cleanser...the salad dressing was tart and light. 5/5 The utensils are pre-set on the table and so is the sweet tonkatsu sauce in a small carafe also preset....there's not much interaction with the bust wait staff, but it was easy to catch their eye to ask questions, get the check, or clear the dishes...I had hot cup of green tea. But no checking for more. But I'm sure icould have flagged down a waiter had I really wanted more. They deliver the food and fly off, so don't ne afraid to stop them to make your requests...they are nice about it. You can also get a pitcher of Sapporo if you drink beer and are a larger parry which I thought was nice considering Sappora usual comes by the bottle. Parking is plentiful in the back...and free. We enjoyed. Very much. Just know 1) no desserts on menu. 2) yes there's a kids menu and 3) every protein is deep fried.

If you're craving Japanese curry, this place is an absolute must. Coco Ichiban never disappoints!…read moreThe curry is rich, flavorful, and perfectly comforting every single time. I love how you can customize everything--from spice level to toppings--so every visit feels like your own perfect bowl. The portions are generous, the food comes out hot and fresh, and the service is always quick and friendly. Whether you go classic with katsu curry or try something new, it's consistently delicious. Definitely one of my go-to spots when I want something satisfying and full of flavor

Never a bad meal here! The flavors are amazing. The teriyaki chicken is always packed with flavor…read moreand spices. The curry bun was a pillowy hot bun, it could use more curry, but still good. I even had a to go order and the food was just as good the next day. The spice level of 1 had a good amount of spice to it. Do yourself a favor and get some japanese curry!!

My favorite ramen in Pasadena. The broth is rich and delicious, the pork is perfectly cooked and…read morethe egg is delicious. I also tried their gyozas and they were delicious. Ambience is great, never too packed. Service is quick.

Sato Ramen House is another solid ramen spot in Pasadena, and honestly, I feel lucky to have so…read moremany Japanese food options nearby. We tried the yuzu shio ramen and the karaage chicken curry rice bowl. The yuzu shio ramen was definitely lighter and more citrusy because of the yuzu, which I can appreciate, though it wasn't necessarily my preferred ramen flavor profile. I ordered it with chicken instead of pork, and I really appreciated that the karaage chicken came on the side so it stayed crispy and didn't get soggy in the broth. My partner really enjoyed the karaage chicken curry rice bowl. We also tried the tamagoyaki appetizer for the first time. Interesting flavor profile, but honestly it didn't really pair well with the rest of what we ordered, so we ended up taking most of it home and never really finishing it. Service was attentive and good, and the restaurant had a lively, active atmosphere with a steady crowd inside. Overall, a solid ramen place that's worth trying, especially if you enjoy lighter ramen styles.

Cute little cafe with strong AC, delicious drinks, and a variety of Cantonese/Japanese dishes…read more Prices are reasonable and food is delicious! Ordered the Japanese Curry omelette rice and the Chinese Cured Meat Pot Rice! Both were delicious!

Was in the area and looking for some local comfort food. We stumbled upon Y.our Cafe. They have…read morestreet parking or there is a lot in the back of the restaurant. You can enter from either the front or back door. When we arrived for dinner on a Saturday evening, it was pretty empty, but by the time we left, it was packed! We ordered the Clay Pot Steamed Rice Combo that comes with any clay pot rice, any clay pot soup, and a drink (herbal jelly or iced lemon tea). We got the Cantonese Cured Meat with Steamed Rice Clay Pot and the Coconut Soup with Silke Chicken. The Cured Meat was tasty, and I like that you get some gai lan with it. The soup wasn't really my taste, but it did taste warm and nourishing. I got the Daily Combo Special which comes with an Omelet Curry Rice, Tonkatsu or Chicken Katsu and an iced lemon tea or soda. It also comes with a side salad. The katsu itself was decent, but the omelet egg is not seasoned at all. It really needs to curry sauce to go with it. Overall, not bad. Probably closer to 3.5 stars?

Have you ever had what feels like the longest week ever, and then you realize it's only Tuesday?…read moreThat happened to me today. Also today I realized how proud I am of my 18 year old daughter who is becoming a remarkable woman right in front of me. I needed comfort... but I also needed to celebrate my girl. Needless to say, the kid & I wound up at King of Ramen. We started off with the crispy pumpkin, which is a glorious mix of textures: delicate and crunchy and smooth all at the same time. It's sweet and savory. The contrast in texture and flavor started to cheer me up as soon as I took a bite. I could feel myself relaxing and I gave myself the space to enjoy a conversation with the kid as we shared our appetizer. I've had food from here enough to know that the ramen portions are humongous, though, so I restrained myself from completely wolfing the pumpkin down. We both ordered the Tonkotsu Ramen with extra egg (there are so many optional add-on's if you want.) the broth is soooo comforting I felt like my mom was giving me a hug. The meat is so tender and flavorful. The ramen perfectly slurpable and the exact perfect level of chewy to take me to a whole new level of happiness. I usually order the King (or Spicy King) Ramen, which is also delicious, but a little more complex. Today I wanted - and got - a solidly delicious, umami-filled bowl of exactly what I needed. There aren't many seats (and there is plenty of parking!) but even when there are other patrons it never gets loud. The folks who work here are so generous - not only with their portions, but also their time. I knew that they closed at 8pm and asked our server to let us know when it's time for us to leave. She didn't, and they stayed open until 8:30 for just us. You might not have a kid, you might not be burned-out from work on a Tuesday, but if you want to smile with every bite, I really hope you stop by this joint. Pasadena has so many wonderful restaurants, and this if one of them. It's not fancy. It's not expensive. It's perfect if you want to feel better leaving than you did when you walked in. At least that's my experience.

When I pick up my wife from I told my wife let's have ramen then she say where,I told her in…read morePasadena the shopping center where the Smokehouse Social BBC and Lupitas and Plate 38. I told here the ramen restaurant called King of Ramen I told her they good reviews including Yelp. We found parking in the shopping despite it get busy on a Friday night and a full moon that bring anyone for nice bowl of hot delicious ramen to keep nice warm. We step in the restaurant,we're greet by the owner/hostess of the restaurant she was very nice and told us we can sit anywhere in the restaurant. Then she can to table where we at hand us the appetizers and the ramen menu and we thank her. We looking at menu and what ramen dish rhay we prefer the best from the menu. The both of us decided to order the Tonkotsu with rich and creamy pork bone broth that cook for hours to bring the flavor of broth instantly. We also a order a side of sweet potato tempura it's our first time trying sweet potato tempura. The restaurant have a unique touch of interior look that bring a piece of a ramen house in Japan. She brought us the Tonkotsu Ramen it looks so good I took a sip of the pork broth it was very impressive flavor light and clean taste of the pork bone flavor. The meat was very tender and full of flavor and cook for hours and the meat fall apart. The ramen noodle were cook perfect and adding the pork bone broth make this Tonkotsu dish earthy and full of flavor. The soft boiled egg and ginger add more flavor in the broth and bring the ramen noodles and pork in one unique dish. The sweet potato tempura were very crispy and light and nice sweet taste of rhe sweet potato. We enjoy the Tonkotsu Ramen and the sweet potato tempura at King Ramen also thank the chef and his staff for the Tonkotsu Ramen and also thank to the owner/hostess for the piece of a pastry.