Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Karē Japanese Curry

    4.5 (114 reviews)
    ModerateJapanese Curry
    Closed 11:00 am - 10:00 pm
    Updated 2 months ago

    Order Karē Japanese Curry Takeout or Delivery

    Karē Japanese Curry Photos

    Business Info

    KARĒ JAPANESE CURRY ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Outdoor seating
    Good for groups
    Dogs allowed

    More like Karē Japanese Curry

    Recommended Reviews - Karē Japanese Curry

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Katsu
    Annie W.

    Portions are decent. Taste isn't amazing but it gets the job done, especially for being fast and casual. Katsu: 7.5/10. It was juicy and not dry at all, and the crust was a little crispy. I feel like it lacked a bit of flavor. Would love if it came with more pickled ginger Curry: 7/10. Not enough flavor. It's a bit bland. I thought it was weird you didn't get to pick a spice level, but they give you togarashi on the side. Beef belly: 7/10. Good flavor but really oily Pork belly: 7/10. Also decent but also really oily That said, I appreciate that everything was separated out, including the add ons. Would I come here again? Not if I were looking for the best. But is it convenient and decent portions and decent price? Yeah. For some reason, the system wouldn't let us email receipts because there was no @ button. Not a big deal, but something to note. The place is cute and located at UTC. Plenty of free parking but it gets super busy since it's by UCI.

    Chicken cutlet curry
    Jamie C.

    I was not expecting much from Kare because it's in the bad juju spot in UTC (ifykyk) but I have to say that it is actually solid curry! I only stopped in because my husband wanted to try it while I refused to and got my regular cha for tea order. Coco Ichibanya is still my top favorite in terms of flavor but Kare is a top second! Their curry is more "spice-y" not heat-wise, but curry spices and not overly sweet like some of the other curry spots around. The portion of chicken cutlet is generous but I wish they had more options for sides or toppings! Just a quick not that this is not your sit down kind of restaurant but more like a boba, quick serve kitchen where you put in your order at a computer up front and your name gets called when your food is ready to be picked up.

    Inside seating. 9/4/2025
    Sandra L.

    The curry here surprised me in the best way. I ordered just the curry side ($5) and rice ($3) because I mainly wanted to taste their curry, which was delicious! It was spicy and full of flavor, which I really enjoyed. Mind you, it is much spicier than typical Japanese curry. I didn't try any of the toppings like the Chicken Katsu, Shrimp Tempura, or Gyoza, so I can't speak to those. Still, I do recommend coming here if you are craving tasty Japanese curry. This spot is located inside the University Town Center. While there is no direct access from the parking lot, it's easy to find right next to the Miniso store. They use a self-ordering kiosk that's simple to navigate, and the staff who packed and brought out my order was friendly.

    Beef Belly & Pork Belly plates
    Michael G.

    Came to UTC while helping out with UCI Move-in and hadn't eaten all day. Debated good ol Chick-fil-A or In n Out and those lines were wayyyy too long so I walked the plaza to see what's around. Came across Karē and it did not disappoint. I ordered the Chicken Katsu and my girlfriend wanted a bowl so we left to order from Gogi and by the time we came back my order was already ready. Sub 10 minutes, friendly service as well. Girl with the red hair made recommendations and gave me the run down on popular items and what not. Chicken Katsu Plate: 4/5 the chicken fried very good, nice and crispy not too greasy either. The curry had a little kick to it but what I would say is that it's missing potatoes and carrots. They give a solid portion of curry as well, served separately in a cup so nothing gets soggy

    Pork Belly
    Czarina D.

    Pretty good! Not the best Japanese curry and chicken katsu I've ever had, but there were some good things here that I would say round my review up to a 5 star review. The curry itself was better than average. It was tasty, slightly sweet, and had a good viscosity to it. Adding spice was definitely the move! It needed a bit more flavor. The chicken katsu had a nice crust, but was not necessarily juicy (nor was it dry) and wasn't super flavorful. It was just good! I was pleasantly surprised by the other meats, namely the pork belly and the beef belly. THE PORK BELLY WAS COOKED TO PERFECTION. Perfectly browned everywhere and the fat was rendered nicely and evenly. My husband and I really enjoyed it! Overall, pretty good!

    Beef Belly Curry Rice Lunch Combo
    Mike L.

    Whenever I try some place new, I'm always hopeful that whatever I get will end up being really good, but I have to admit I generally expect less from certain types of eateries. Fair or not, fast casual types of spots, while interesting and convenient, usually don't deliver like how a more traditional restaurant usually can. Certainly not an overarching rule, but I'll typically adjust my expectations accordingly. However, with Kare? Pleasantly surprised by how legitimately good the food is, fast casual setup or not! Based purely on its appearance, Kare really doesn't look all that impressive. With just a couple of ordering kiosks (a worker is also on hand to help out) and a fair amount of table and counter seating, this place is definitely set-up for a quick bite and/or for you to grab your food on the go. Similarly, the menu is pretty simple, with a half dozen or so proteins to go with your curry, as well as an assortment of sides for you to choose from. However, as basic and straightforward as the menu may be, the taste of the food here certainly is not! -- CHICKEN KATSU CURRY RICE - Fried Chicken Katsu, White Rice, Curry, Pickled Radish, and Green Onions This was terrific! The chicken katsu was suer crispy on the outside and moist on the inside while the rice was cooked perfectly. As for the curry, I loved how it packed a nice punch of flavor with a smooth consistency. Also, the miso soup was delicious! -- BEEF BELLY CURRY RICE - Beef Belly with Onions, White Rice, Curry, Pickled Radish, and Green Onions So much better than other beef curries I've had! Beyond the fact that it's beef belly, I love how the meat is sliced super thin instead of being left in chunks. Not only did it taste it that much more tender, but it meant capturing that much more curry, too! As delicious as the food is on its own, the other thing that I love is Kare's lunch deal - whichever curry rice dish, plus miso soup and a drink, for $17.99 (+$1 for pork belly or beef belly). I don't know if I'm just too used to paying Bay Area prices, but talk about a fantastic value for something that tastes so good! If the food wasn't enough of a reason for me to come back again and again and again (it is), this definitely gives me even more of a reason now! Kare - see you again the next time I'm in town!

    Jenny P.

    Located in UTC so easy parking. Place is clean with a modern interior. You order from a kiosk and can self-serve yourself water while waiting on the side. 8/10 Pork Belly ($16): I'm used to the outer layer of my protein being crispy when I eat curry, so I was surprised that my pork belly wasn't crispy. That's my bad for not checking the menu more closely, so I would order chicken katsu next time. The Japanese pickles were a nice touch and the curry was fine, not heavy at all. I ordered takeout, so the curry was on the side.

    Spam Katsu & Fried Egg Plate, Chicken Katsu Plate, a side of Chicken Katsu
    Laura S.

    Kare is another restaurant where you place your order at a kiosk. When I recently went for lunch, David was the one person who interacted with the customers. He has a great personality! He was helpful and added a welcoming human touch that was definitely missing. The food was good, the curry sauce was tasty. We were full after all of the rice and the breaded katsu. It's nice that it's located in UTC, where you can grab a dessert in the center afterwards. (are donuts considered a dessert? Yes they are and they hit the sweet spot!)

    Chicken katsu curry
    Nick C.

    Ordered the chicken katsu curry. Kare's curry is the Japanese curry that has moderate earthy spice, which to me is my favorite style of Japanese curry, not sweet, and the curry itself is thicker which is also my preference. The chicken is alright crispy but pretty thin nothing extraordinary. I think if they had bigger portions with thicker cuts of chicken, this has potential to be a great curry spot.

    Melissa C.

    My husband and I have been here a few times now when we come up to visit our daughter at UCI, the food here is solid. The curry is sweet and savory, katsu is nice and crispy on the outside, moist chicken on the inside. I like the pork belly as well with an added egg on top. All dishes comes with rice, green onions and pickled ginger served in a compostable container, there are lids available in the front if you have leftovers. You can self order at the kiosk or from the helpful employee at the counter. Seating is available both indoors or outside around the shopping center.

    Daph H.

    I didn't expect much from Kare Japanese Curry and was pleasantly surprised by my visit! You order from touchscreens at the counter, though there is someone behind the counter to answer any questions you may have. I ordered the chicken katsu ($14), which was served in a compostable tray (much better than the black plastic they previously used) with white rice and some green onions and pickled ginger. The curry came in a container on the side. It was a generous portion of katsu, cooked perfectly, not too greasy. The curry is fairly mild and you can add some spice to it if you prefer more heat. My husband got the vegetable gyoza, which were ok. I think the katsu is a much better choice! Those UCI students are lucky to have a solid curry place right across the street! Plenty of parking in the lot.

    Chicken Katsu Curry Combo
    Binh L.

    I'm always looking for new curry places to try and Kare had been on my list for a while. I got the chicken katsu curry combo for 17.99 which I think is a great deal because it comes with your choice of a curry plate, a drink, and miso soup. The portion size is pretty decent for the price and cheaper compared to other places where you only get the curry plate by itself for around the same price. However, I wish my enthusiasm for the combo value extended to the food itself as well. I found the flavor of the curry to be lacking. The curry was on the sweeter side which is fine, but I wish there would've also been a balance of savory and spice as well. The chicken katsu was crispy, but it tasted plain. The miso soup tasted fine though, you can't really go wrong with that. The dishes here are pretty simple, it would've been cool to have options on the menu to add more vegetables. But if you're looking for a casual bite with quick service that's affordable with decent portions, then I would recommend Kare. There are not many tables indoors but it is located in UTC and everything is packaged in disposable containers anyways, so you could always take your order and dine at one of the tables outside.

    Chicken katsu and shrimp tempura
    Susan C.

    We were looking for lunch at UTC. So many options here! I think the parking is limited to only 1 hour here so set a timer and watch out for that! Two of us chose Kare for Japanese curry and others chose In n Out. You order on the touchscreen. There was an employee nearby that can help with questions. She was getting the trays of food and calling out names/numbers. I was just worried about the timing of it - the restaurant was crowded and there were lots of people that had ordered before us. She said it will be out in 5 to 10 minutes. She was right - our order came out very quickly. We grabbed a table outside because there was no seating in the inside. Every single day table was taken! It's modern and clean inside, but not fancy-this is fast casual style. Everything was delicious! It was served hot and exactly as we ordered them. I can't tell if the curry is made from curry blocks or from scratch but it was delicious! Chicken katsu was good, shrimp tempura was great. We ate outside Highly recommend!

    Chicken katsu and pork belly

    See all

    1 month ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of J D.
    0
    91
    17

    27 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    15 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Annie W.
    346
    178
    255

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 40
    Thanks 6
    Love this 39
    Oh no 1

    11 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 2
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 2
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Anna O.
    0
    68
    30

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 10
    Thanks 4
    Love this 6
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 8
    Thanks 0
    Love this 8
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 1

    2 years ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 1
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 5
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of B K.
    0
    39
    38

    9 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 2
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0
    Photo of San
    0
    2
    0

    5 months ago

    Had a delicious to go order! Can't remember what I ordered but it was great. Overall positive.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Elina W.
    6
    102
    181

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 3

    Karē Japanese Curry Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Karē Japanese Curry

    Curry House Coco Ichibanya

    Curry House Coco Ichibanya

    3.9
    (3.4k reviews)
    2.6 mi
    $$

    The reason why I'm not leaving 3 stars is because I genuinely love this restaurant and I've been…read moregoing for years. A few months ago I noticed my cutlet had gotten smaller. Fine I guess. Just the economy or whatever.. But today my pork cutlet was so over fried. Maybe they're using the same cook times for smaller pieces? Maybe they reused a leftover? And it was also so salty it took multiple refills of water to finish. Not angry, just feeling sad

    My husband and I got food poisoning from here yesterday. Warning - don't get the vegetables. They…read morewere sour. I should have read reviews prior to coming as another review mentioned the spoiled vegetables. Portions aren't great. Katsu is smaller than previous Coco visits and we all could have decreased the rice portion as we ran out of curry before finishing the rice. Their curry to "regular" rice ratio is off. They also didn't provide spoons for the curry rice. When we asked for spoons, the person in charge mentioned they were out. How does a curry place run out of silver spoons? Her answer was that people steal them and everyone else was using them. Offered us soup spoons. We can't eat curry with a fork so we took the soup spoons and asked them to provide the silver spoons when they do get them again. Halfway through the meal I noticed new tables were getting silver spoons again. No offer of silver spoons to the tables who didn't get them. Although the waiters refilled our water glasses very punctually, we won't be coming back here.

    Photos
    Dining area
    Dining area
    Teriyaki Fried Chicken
    Teriyaki Fried Chicken
    Thin Sliced Beef Omelette

    See all

    Thin Sliced Beef Omelette
    Curry Do

    Curry Do

    4.6
    (191 reviews)
    3.5 mi
    $$

    Spicy chicken katsu definitely has a kick so be warned. Paired with the medium spicy curry def had…read moreme sweating a little Also their agedashi tofu is to die for.

    Curry Do specializes in Japanese Curry with various protein options. The curries come in small or…read moreregular sizes. Curry (Small - $14.50 / Large - $17.50) - I wanted to try their soft shell crab curry, which incurred a $1 upcharge, and was only available as a large option, so $18.50 for crab. This came with fried soft shell crab served in a gravy-like curry which was slightly sweet and savory. I asked for it mild and it didn't have any heat, perhaps next time I would go with medium. It was served with some bright red pickles and rice. I wasn't too impressed with the crab, the quantity was on the smaller side. Curry Lunch Special ($13.50) - This comes with a small curry and half of a side appetizer. On a subsequent visit I ordered this with chicken katsu and the gyoza appetizer. This came with 3 fried chicken gyozas that weren't bad, but I think I would have preferred if they were steamed. For my curry I went with the chicken katsu, which was slightly overcooked but still went well with the curry. Overall, the lunch specials are reasonably priced here and I would stick to getting that when I visit again. It's not a big restaurant inside, with about 8 tables and a good place to go to get one's Japanese curry fix.

    Photos
    Inside
    Inside
    CHICKEN KATSU CURRY with rice
    CHICKEN KATSU CURRY with rice
    Chicken Katsu curry rice

    See all

    Chicken Katsu curry rice
    Katsu Bar

    Katsu Bar

    4.3
    (208 reviews)
    3.9 mi
    $$

    I recently checked out Katsu Bar in Irvine with my husband for dinner, and we loved it so much!…read more We were craving something comforting, and this place totally hit the spot. The katsu was super crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside perfectly cooked and not greasy at all. Everything tasted really fresh and high quality. We ordered the Cauliflower Tempura, Katsu Plate, Yubu Pockets, and Original Katsu Sandwich, and everything was absolutely delicious. Each dish had its own unique flavor, but all of them were super satisfying. The portions were generous and such great value for the price, so we left completely full and happy They also have a really nice patio seating area, which made the whole vibe even better. It felt relaxed and perfect for a casual dinner night. The staff were friendly and welcoming, and the place overall felt clean and cozy. Definitely one of those spots we'd come back to when we want something hearty and delicious. Also, I love that you can choose your protein for the katsu chicken, beef, or fish which makes it even more customizable depending on your preference. Highly recommend if you're in the area!

    One of our go to restaurants in Irvine for something quick and good!…read more We ordered new items than our usual katsu sandwiches because we wanted to see what else they have to offer + lots of new items as well! Yubu Pockets: tofu pockets filled with rice + your choice of proteins. Loved getting to try all the different flavors! Black Garlic Ramen with Katsu: flavorful, and rich! Curry Katsu Plate: surprisingly not bad! The curry isn't overpowering, and I like that it comes on the side so you can dip your katsu and control how much curry you want with each bite. Spicy Pork Korean Plate: one of their NEW menu items! Don't let the name scare you, it's more flavorful than spicy and the sauce over the rice was SO good. Strawberry Sando: always a favorite! The cream is light and not too sweet, the bread is sooo soft, and the fresh strawberries make it the perfect sweet ending. No wonder it's so popular and viral! Everything we tried was delicious, and service was fast! You can dine inside, sit outside, or grab your food to-go, so there's plenty of ways to enjoy it. Definitely worth adding to your food list if you're in Irvine! They also have multiple locations.

    Photos
    Inside
    Inside
    Original Katsu Sandwich w/ Waffle Fries
    Original Katsu Sandwich w/ Waffle Fries
    Rosemary Katsu Sando W/ Sides

    See all

    Rosemary Katsu Sando W/ Sides

    Karē Japanese Curry - japacurry - Updated August 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...