Heard about this resto on YouTube. Went there with a friend who has been there. It's an ordinary restaurant. Cute ducky decors.

It was a cute place and nice service, but the food was just okay. You could probably find better food somewhere else.

This place is fantastic. We ordered the tonkatsu ramen, hot soup udon, beef curry rice plate & iced green teas. They give simple sugar and half & half on the side so you can make a milk tea if you like. Their tonkatsu was rich yet refreshing- and the chashu was so good!!! The hot soup udon- heavenly. I will order this every time I come here. I usually dislike udon - but ordered it for my son. They put a bit of grated yuzu peels in the soup- it's soo nice. Beef curry plate was great! It was flavorful & not overwhelming. The service was wonderful- will be back! read more

Food: katsu was juicy and crispy and the curry was so flavorful. From the outside it looks like a small unassuming store but food is amazing. Service: friendly and helpful staff Ambiance: casual vibes. Indoor seating only, no outdoor. read more

Ducks - Curry Tonkotsu Katsu Don with soba - Japanese Curry Near Me - San Gabriel, California

Food was good. We got the chicken cutlet curry, pork cutlet curry, and beef don. It was good quality Japanese food. The cutlets were thick and the portions are all really generous. So I would recommend this place for anyone looking for some good Japanese good. Service is good. We went on a late Saturday afternoon around 3:30pm and we were the only one there. At first I thought this might because they're bad but no; we just went at a good time. The server looked after us but did not disturb us during our meal which was nice. Ambiance is very family owned esthetic. It's not anything fancy or upscale and the outside is kinda of unassuming, but it's a cute place. There's also a small manga collection that sits in the store (not sure if guests can view cause I didn't try haha). I would most likely recommend this for smaller groups possibly up to around 6 people to be comfortable but I'm sure they can accommodate more people. Overall I'm glad my friend introduced me to this place. read more

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Coming to Ducks makes me wonder what else I'm missing out on. I've been eating in this area so much and somehow missed this place for years. They have some pretty solid Japanese comfort food at a slightly higher price that is justified by their quality of food. The only thing is the wait for the food is a bit longer than I'd like. For an order of curry udon, it took 30 min and unless you check often (and start feeling like you're bugging them), they won't always come out and look for you. Then you'll risk your food sitting on the counter for longer than necessary and no one wants that haha. I do appreciate that their menu isn't too big and they seem to know what they're good at and should focus on. I will definitely eat here when I'm in the area if I'm craving Japanese comfort food but maybe best to call beforehand. read more

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Very solid lunch spot. Came here for my lunch break and got the lunch special! Very homey feel as well as the taste. The food taste very homey, reminds me of my Japanese friends mom making me lunch when I was young. Everyone is very kind and friendly. If you need a Japanese spot for a quick lunch definitely come here read more

Ducks - Lunch combo - Japanese Curry Near Me - San Gabriel, California

I don't know why I never knew about Ducks. Been there twice. Had the Chicken Karaage and Katsu curry. Will be back to try other dishes. Service was great. read more

I heard a lot about this place and finally had a chance try it. Looking at the menu, I definitely want to try the lunch prices! I ordered a cold soba set with tempura. The tempura was delicious! It was airy and crispy. The soba was a good texture. However the dip wasn't what I expected. I also ordered a pork cutlet curry. The pork cutlet was juicy and yummy. The curry was super hot and placed in a container on the side. It was very flavorful. I'd definitely go again to try other items on the menu. The lunch prices seem like a great price and quality. read more

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Very good japanese fare. The service is great and the staff is friendly. Had the tempura and konkatsu. The miso had great umami taste! Going back for the curry and Katsu- don! read more

Local hidden gem for japanese food! I recently got take out and ordered the Cold Soba Noodle with Tempura Combo and the Oyako Don. Overall, it was good and I can see myself coming back for future cravings. Food: - Cold Soba Noodle with Tempura combo: This was so good and refreshing especially for the warmer days. I love the batter they use for the tempura - super crunchy and fresh. I would love to see more veggie tempuras like broccoli vs parsley, or another squash/carrot. Overall this was my favorite meal there. - Oyako Don: This was pretty much a fried chicken cooked with egg and seeet sauce over rice. I wasn't too impressed with the batter on the fried chicken as I was for the tempuras. I could skip it in the future and get another cold soba combo instead. read more

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Overall, the service was good and so was the udon. The atmosphere was cute and homey but unfortunately, at the end of the day, this place was a miss for me. The whole restaurant smelled of old oil the instant I walked in. However, I love tempura so I still got it to try. I should have taken the hint. I got the udon and tempura mixed combo and the batter on the tempura had a weird taste which I think is because it was fried in old oil. I could barely tell what I was eating underneath because of the flavor of the batter. The fried bunch of cilantro was not a great choice for tempura. The shrimp was probably the best of the mix. I've been gone from the restaurant for 2 hours and I can still smell the oil on my clothes. Additionally the green tea was 2.50 for a tea bag. I would not go back. read more

One of my favorite classic Japanese spots in the 626 for their cold soba and dons. I love the dipping sauce provided for the soba noodles not a lot of other places have this so this makes them special. I've had their curry and multiple dons all very exceptional. This place is only opened a few hours everyday and I've seen it get packed for lunch and dinner. Must try if you live in the area read more

Ducks - Cold Soba Mini Katsudon - Japanese Curry Near Me - San Gabriel, California

I am really happy that I decided to go here recently. The prices are not too bad, seems like small family owned or something. Random ducks and odd decor makes it seem homey. I really liked the curry and was glad I ordered more fukujinzuke. The cold soba hits good on a hot day. The tempura is delicious when it's hot but it is quite oily and heavily battered. Service is friendly. Also ordered some karaage after and the pieces are quite big, like chicken tender sized. There is thankfully a decent sized parking lot also. read more

Ducks - Cold Soba Shrimp and Veggie Tempura, Mini Curry - Japanese Curry Near Me - San Gabriel, California

Comfortable dining even alone Traditional home cooked Japanese meal. Curry / deep fried dish and Japanese beer. Thumbs up read more

One of the best Japanese restaurants in the area! They have a wide variety of popular Japanese dishes such as curry, udon, soba, rice bowls, ramen, and more. I was pleasantly surprised at how good their tempura was! The batter was thin and perfectly crispy and the dipping sauce for their soba was so flavorful but not too salty. It is a quiet and quaint mom and pop style restaurant. It is not too big but has a good amount of seating. Not too many staff, however, the food came out really fast! read more

Ducks - Cold Soba Mini Tempura Bowl - Japanese Curry Near Me - San Gabriel, California

Too much soy sauce and salty for me for the chicken karrage rice bowl. My friends ordered the pork cutlet katsu and enjoyed it, so it's probably worth a try still. The ambiance is nice and open seating. Not cramped. Wait staff is nice. Has its own parking lot. read more

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Really a hiding place in Temple city. Almost only the local knows this place. Don't have to go to little Tokyo to enjoy a family style Japanese curry. And it's always so good!! I'm so happy they still open and open dining in after covid hit. They have really good curry and owners are real Japanese, they've been open in there for years!! And still keep the same quality, which is most important for an restaurant exist for years. They have friendly service and clean environment. They also sales Japanese beers and soft drinks. Open house: they have lunch break just like lot of Japanese restaurants do, so check their schedule on Google maps before you go there. (Hope if they ever open at late night, that will be such a great place to go when you hungry at night!) read more

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Don't sleep on this restaurant. So in general, I am not a huge fan of Japanese food other than sushi/sashimi and udon...but dang... this place is SO GOOD. I came here after the gym on a Thursday night about 40 minutes before closing, But they still took us in anyway. Thank goodness because I really enjoyed my meal. For a group of three we ordered several things: fried gyoza, soba noodle combo with tempura, udon, beef don, and the chicken Katsu curry. Typically I am not a fan of deep fried stuff but this is the best katsu I've ever had. Also the best tempura I've ever had. I typically dislike tempura but this was delicious. Their soba noodles were amazing: perfectly chewy- and the sauce was more flavorful than usual compared to other places. I've been meaning to come back to this place since I had this last week. I am so sad that they are closed on Mondays and Tuesdays but I am for sure going tomorrow because I need my kick. As a person that doesn't typically like this kind of food I am a total fan now. I seriously can't wait to come back here again, and the price for everything is good and portions are large. Service is good but we did have to get someone's attention for ordering and getting the check but we don't mind because it was the end of the night and they were closing up. We were just glad that they let us come in and the people working were so cute and nice. I really felt like I was dining in somebody's Japanese home. The food was really comforting and like I said above, I can't wait to go back again. read more

Casual Japanese comfort food. Decently priced taste enjoyed by kids and adults. Soba, udon, ramen, donburi, cutlet curry, tempura, oh my. Tasty, satisfying and easy on the wallet. The owner and the servers are friendly and attentive. There is large parking available. read more

I searched up "duck" to find something to eat and came by this restaurant. I came on two occasions but both occasions were definitely really nice. Due to the coronavirus I got this Togo even though they allowed people to dine in but definitely just did it Togo because it was just me. Coming into this restaurant you are greeted in a happy manner by a lady or a man. I remember asking the lady what was recommended and she gave me a list of choices that were customer's favorite which really helped!! Katsu-Don($13)- Oh dang this was very different! It is a pork cutlet cooked with egg and a sweet sauce over the rice. The pork cutlet was pretty flavorful and eating the egg was definitely my favorite part! It mixed well with their rice and it puffy! Slaw is on the side. Chicken Karaage($6)- This is just the chicken, not with the rice! This chicken Karaage is definitely different then what I normally get! Chicken Karaage I get is normally fried with little batter but this one was like a tapioca starchy batter. Different but delicious. Chicken was also very moist! Overall, I like this place a lot! They make sure you get the order you want. I came twice and the lady was super sweet and greeted me "oh your back" in a very nice enthusiastic manner. I totally love that! She also helped put stars on the menu letting me know what is popular and what is not. Also, I called in nine minutes before the closed and they still made my order despite it might being pretty problematic! These people are super cool and will come back again! read more

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Absolute gem. I love simple comfort food that hits the spot and this place definitely does it for me. I haven't been to this restaurant in at least 10 years because I don't remember liking the food here. Ownership must've changed because this place is now busy bee and the food is vastly improved. I especially love the donburi (pork), the tempura bowl, and the soba. I highly recommend soba here because it's not something you see often and it is very well made. I think I've found my favorite Japanese restaurant that serves the kind of simple food I love. Price is fair and service is quick and friendly. Highly recommend! read more

Ducks - Pork donburi and tempura bowl. - Japanese Curry Near Me - San Gabriel, California

It's been almost 3 years since I had katsu don in Japan, and ever since coming back to the states it was hard to find a restaurant that carry's a high quality katsudon. Ducks is such a hole in the wall restaurant, hidden within other shops in the plaza and trees, I have to say the first time I tried ducks I got their meat spaghetti and it's was 5/10, decided to give this place another chance since I was craving pork cutlets. Their katsu down, pork cutlet with egg and sweet soy sauce 10/10, it's was filling and all the components compliment each other without overpowering. Looking forward to bringing my family here! read more

Ducks - katsudon - Japanese Curry Near Me - San Gabriel, California

Arrived there around 145pm. And there was a long line. waited for a few mins. Service is very good. Food arrived fast. Katsudon is my Dad's favorite. A very big serving for me. But he finished his bowl. The combo soba and tempura bowl is also big. Everyone is happy with their food read more

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Ducks is a hidden gem and specializes in Japanese comfort food. It's a small little shop with around 10-15 tables. We came around 1-2pm and had about a 15 minute or so wait. I was craving udon at the time so I ordered the lunch special kitsune udon with a small side of curry. I really enjoyed the udon as it wasn't too salty. The curry from the lunch special they allow you to choose from beef or chicken. I choose the chicken. I also enjoyed the curry as it wasn't spicy and had a sweeter taste to it. I also tried my friends kastunedon and it was delicious! I love how crunchy it was. This spot is definitely a hidden gem, and a must stop. read more

Yummm. I was having a huge craving for soba and turned to Yelp to satisfy that. Ducks looks very assuming from the outside. No flashy signs, just a group of people waiting outside. I came with my partner and we waited at least 30 minutes before we were seated. The space inside isn't too small, but the tables are spread apart so there aren't too many groups inside at a time. I wouldn't recommend this as a quick meal. It's more for an occasion where you're in no rush and can take the time to enjoy your food and company. Food: I came for soba and I got exactly that. The refreshing soba paired with crispy tempura is one of my favorite combinations. We also got the chikuwa and I loved it! The batter is light and crispy. Parking: The restaurant is in a small strip mall so I was able to find a space there. I'm sure you could park on the street if they were all taken! read more

Ducks - Cold soba with tempura - Japanese Curry Near Me - San Gabriel, California

Ducks is an SGV classic and it's such a gem. The food and service never disappoint. I love the Katsudon and my daughter is obsessed with the udon. read more

There's just such a nice and warm welcoming atmosphere the moment you walk in the restaurant. It's really comforting. Just like the food! The cold soba and broth were perfectly cooked and full of flavor. The tempura was extremely light and airy. The pork cutlet curry rice hit the spot. read more

Ducks - Cold Soba with Tempura - Japanese Curry Near Me - San Gabriel, California

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Might've been a bit overhyped by social media, but the curry didn't stand out to me. I ordered to-go and the food was ready in about 15 minutes, so I do appreciate the quick turnaround. read more

I've always heard a lot about this place because it's been here in the 626 for the longest time! I think it's pretty rare to find Japanese katsu curry places in the 626, so I'm surprised there was something like this here. I feel like if you're craving for japanese katsu, I think this just will suffice enough. It's not something I would really like to go back all the time, but probably something to take care of your katsu cravings. I thought the food was kind of salty when it came to the sauce. The cutlet was nicely crisp, but the katsu don was very immersed together with the egg and sauce already that you don't get that crunch. Rice was pretty sweet, but still an okay meal overall. read more

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If you're craving cold soba on a hot day, I strongly recommend Ducks Restaurant in San Gabriel! Photo was the lunch combo for $12.75! Soba with meat curry...all so good and filling! And food comes out fast! The fried thing is fried gyoza which was tasty too! read more

Ducks - Japanese Curry Near Me - San Gabriel, California

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Really love its karaage chicken, as well its pork katsu don. However the place was too smoky from the cooking. Went there during lunch break, and the rest of the afternoon everyone in the office could smell cooking oil (very strong smell) on my shirt. read more

I love Japanese food and always wanted to try Ducks after passing it a dozen times on Las Tunas. I especially needed to try it after a friend told me this is one of her favorite restaurants. While Ducks would be fantastic for any weather, the mochi udon was exactly what I needed on a cold winter day. It comes with chicken, mochi, fish cake, and chikuwa (a different form of fish cake). The broth was warm and very flavorful. I don't know how they did it but the fish cake really absorbed a lot of flavor. I don't have mochi in soup dishes very often and it was such a delight to eat. It's initially nice and crispy, but as it sits in the broth, it gets increasingly chewy and stretchy. In addition to having lovely comfort food, the appeal of Ducks is their homey feeling. The silly duck decor and the abundance of music from the 90s really screams, "This place is family run and our choices require no rhyme or reason" in the best way possible. read more

Ducks - Mochi Udon - Japanese Curry Near Me - San Gabriel, California

Original owner prides itself with their curry and katsu entree selections. Other old-time favs are the tempura (udon, soba) hot or cold style. As I believe there is new ownership in the past years, I respect that the essence of the original offerings are being continued in very palatable choices. Thanks Ducks! read more

Quite possible the worst japanese restaurant i have ever been to. Overly fried tempura, "karage" chicken that was basically giant chicken pieces in tempura batter fried extra long, tasted like dirty oil and burnt batter read more

My husband and I went to Ducks today for the first time. I had wanted to go for a while since I've been looking for decent curry since Curry House closed, but never had the chance. I was looking through SGV Eats Facebook group for good lunch options and Ducks came up, so we decided to go. We arrived around noon on a Sunday, the restaurant was about half full. We were seated promptly and while we waited for our orders the restaurant started filling up! Within ten minutes the place was full. Lucky we got here when we did. The interior was super cute and homey, I loved the cat photos on the wall. We ordered the karaage for starter and chicken cutlet curry. The food came in a timely manner considering how many were in the restaurant at that point. The karaage was fried in an interesting manner, almost like chicharrones. It was very good. The curry was great too, husband and I both agreed it was the most similar to Curry House we've had so far. I definitely will be back to try the fried mochi udon! read more

This place is amazing. Lived in the SGV for years and can't believe I haven't tried this place til now. We went around 1145 so we didn't have to wait. Food is delicious. We will definitely be coming back to try more items on the menu! read more

Ducks - Karaage Chicken, Pork Cutlet Curry Rice, Beef Don - Japanese Curry Near Me - San Gabriel, California

I came here for lunch with a friend and was blown away by how delicious everything was. We also had two kittens and they were super accommodating with us and setting up a table outdoors so the kittens weren't left in the car in the hot heat. I got the chicken cutlet curry which was absolutely delicious. I loved how crunchy the cutlets were and the curry was so tasty. My bf got the mochi udon which was also delicious. The broth was so flavorful and the mochi was so yummy. He was blown away by how good it was. My friend got the soba curry combo and really enjoyed it as well. She said it was very refreshing. We also got chicken karaage which was so good. It was so different from the chicken cutlet I got in terms of the batter. Everything was so good and I will definitely be back. read more

We just found out about Ducks and we are already planning to come back. This is down home Japanese comfort food, as good as it gets. We had dinner with our friend from Hawaii, she came for the oyakodon and was singing its praises the whole time, so you know it's good. Husband also got the oyakodon and can confirm it's amazing. I got the veggie yaki udon with a fried egg. So delicious. We also got some tempura and trust me you do not want to miss the tempura. Finished the meal with yuzu and green tea cheesecake--both were good but we all preferred the yuzu cake, it was just a little creamier. The place was busy and hopping the whole time but the staff was efficient, friendly and made the whole experience so pleasant and comforting, like staying at a good friend's house. Love the manga shelf in the back, reminds me of the way my room looked in high school (lol). There's also a noticeable amount of duck paraphernalia, for obvious reasons. We were joking with the staff, if we count all the ducks correctly, is there a prize? The prize is, you're eating at Ducks, duh! Can't wait to come back and try the veggie curry, the soba, maybe even some curry spaghetti?? I seriously can't believe this gem has been here all this time, so close to home and we just found out about it. Time to make up for lost time, we are gonna be regulars! read more

Ducks - Veggie Yaki Udon - Japanese Curry Near Me - San Gabriel, California

Ducks is such a gem! It's been an SGV staple for so long, but I've only started frequenting this year - I know, what's wrong with me?! This mom & pop restaurant provides a variety of Japanese dishes from curry to cold soba to ramen. There's literally something for everyone! My personal favorites are the pork cutlet curry rice and shrimp tempura (with a side of rice). I really cannot recommend Ducks enough. Please give it a try if you haven't already, and please don't wait as long as I did to try it! read more