This place is extraordinary. Everything was fried to perfection. We were also told that the panko is created fresh everyday from a local bakery in Vancouver. I would recommend chicken or shrimp if you want a protein. I had the tonkatsu (pork) which was a little tougher. The thinly sliced pork with cheese inside was the best bite I had. I also enjoyed the katsu nabe but the soup does affect the texture of the fried pork. There was also unlimited rice, cabbage salad, and sesame sauce here. Amazing! My husband ordered the curry chicken katsu which was excellent and our friends ordered the Zenbu Katsu which was plenty to share between two people. The staff are very sweet and attentive and the restaurant is clean and simple. read more

I had no idea that katsu could taste this GOOD. I mean, all katsu I've had prior to eating at Saku just pales in comparison. Who knew??? My hubs and I vacationed in Vancouver a few weeks ago in late April. We had seen the long lines for dinner at Saku when we were here more than a year ago. So, we decided to give them a try for a late lunch around 2pm on a Wednesday afternoon. No wait. We got seated right away. We liked how spacious and airy the dining room was. Our wait staff were friendly and on point. They were considerate about answering our questions about the food and food allergies. I ordered the chicken thigh katsu ($26 Can) and my hubs got the chicken thigh curry ($28.50 Can). No dairy involved in either dish which I was happy about because I have challenges digesting milk protein. Yes, it's kinda pricey. Yes, it's totally worth it. The katsu is light, crispy, fried perfectly, not greasy, and comes with unlimited rice, miso soup, finely chopped cabbage salad, and an addictively delicious sesame dressing. My hubs' curry sauce was served on the side so he could pour out as much or as little as he wanted. All in all, it was a very pleasant and satisfying meal. Saku is top notch for katsu. You won't believe how good katsu can be until you try it. read more

Saku - Chicken thigh katsu was amazing! Comes with unlimited rice, miso soup, and cabbage salad; as well as some great condiments to dip into. - Japanese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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Saku is delicious! Although it's a bit pricey, the quality of the food and meat is good. As well, you get unlimited soup, salad and rice! Their housemade sesame sauce for the salad is very good! All the servers are very nice and attentive. read more

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

Craving for legit Japanese katsu, and SAKU is your spot in Vancouver. Located right in the heart of Robson Street. The katsu here is crispy, light, and not greasy--the set meal--unlimited rice, shredded cabbage, and miso soup. I went here as soon as they opened and missed any lines outside. read more

Saku - Japanese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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One of my favorite restaurants in Vancouver. I always order the cheese katsu and it has a perfect crisp. The free refills on cabbage and miso soup are a highlight, and everyone who works here is super friendly! read more

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

This place is extraordinary. Everything was fried to perfection. We were also told that the panko is created fresh everyday from a local bakery in Vancouver. I would recommend chicken or shrimp if you want a protein. I had the tonkatsu (pork) which was a little tougher. The thinly sliced pork with cheese inside was the best bite I had. I also enjoyed the katsu nabe but the soup does affect the texture of the fried pork. There was also unlimited rice, cabbage salad, and sesame sauce here. Amazing! My husband ordered the curry chicken katsu which was excellent and our friends ordered the Zenbu Katsu which was plenty to share between two people. The staff are very sweet and attentive and the restaurant is clean and simple. read more

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We walked in about 15 minutes after they opened for lunch without a reservation, and the restaurant was already full. Luckily, they had two small tables left, so we were able to sit down immediately. The restaurant is modern and clean, and the servers are super polite and friendly. My black truffle katsu was crunchy on the outside and juicy on the inside. My fiancé also loved his dish, but he wouldn't recommend the special premium katsu because it had a chunk of fat. Aside from that, the rest of the katsu was absolutely delicious. We highly recommend this place and can't wait to come back again. read more

Saku - Japanese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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Today we decided to do a day trip to Vancouver from bellevue WA, and one of the stops had to be Saku for sure. First time at this location in Broadway, a bit less highendy compared to the one in Robson, a bit more run-down I'd say. The quality though was still good. I got the Tokujyo Rosu Katsu and it was delicious, fried to perfection, juicy and fatty inside. My daughter got the Hire Curry and she was happy with it. It was around 12PM on a Monday and there was plenty of seating space available. Service was fast and courteous. read more

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

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High quality katsu place. Katsu was tender inside. My favorite dish was the cold udon! So refreshing with rich grated radish and slices of pork. Wanted to also call out the great service, with lots of care in the details. Thanks for the amazing dining environment and experience read more

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Saku is a great katsu spot in Mt. Pleasant with tons of options and amazing service. My group of 8 people only had to wait about 15-20 minutes for a table to open up; super grateful to the staff for accommodating us on short notice. My partner and I decided to get the Zenbu Katsu so we could try a little bit of everything. The sets all come with unlimited cabbage salad, miso soup, and rice. I LOVE the sesame dressing on the salad, I definitely got at least two refills of that. I thought the katsu here was very high quality. My favorite cut was the Hire (pork fillet) but I thought the Hotate (scallop) was pretty interesting. I also liked the Cheese :) This set was 100% enough for 2 people to eat. I'd definitely recommend this place and I would come back for this set. read more

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

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Delicious with 5 stars service. Also very kids friendly! Highly recommend! We came on a early friday evening around 5-6p and were seated immediately. The waitress was kind and oriented us to the menu she also provided great service. The ambiance was modern, minimalist, but cozy. Our food came quickly, was hot and fresh and so delicious. We loved the cheese katsu and curry katsu. They also offer a kids menu which comes with chicken, rice, a drink and a dessert. The kids both loved it and as a bonus they provide kids utensils and eatery. Everything was well seasoned, crispy fried and incredible. They also offer drinks and sides. The prices were reasonable at around $20-40 per person. With the portions it was a great value. Overall, a great dining experience, genuine katsu and reasonable price. We loved it and our kids too! read more

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Good service and awsome taste in downtown of Vancouver. Good ambiance sand clean service

I've been here a number of times. It's a simple and clean space, with a very simple menu. You basically pick your main protein, and you get unlimited soup, rice and salad. Service is always pleasant and attentive enough. Every visit before would easily earn four stars for a good quality katsu meal. However on this last visit, the Katsu Nabe caught my eye so I ordered it. Although nicely presented I quickly saw the sauce was more of a soup broth, which made my katsu immediately soggy. The breading normally adds texture, and perhaps any imperfection in the pork loin itself. But with the breading completely soggy, I couldn't help but notice the pork was overcooked and dry in parts. On top of that, the sauce/broth was bland. So for this visit I can only objectively rate as a 3. For future visits, I will stick to what I know they do well. read more

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

Katsu spot with unlimited soup, rice, and salad! Super nice staff! My friend and I waited around 30 minutes to get seated on a Thursday afternoon; the staff were very nice but I fear they might need to hire more people. We got the Tokujyo Rosu Katsu ($29 - 3/5 some pieces dry) and Miso Katsu ($28.50 - 3/5); both had its good pieces but also some mid pieces due to uneven fat distribution which I guess it just be the katsu. The katsu is breaded super nicely and fried evenly. Overall, an OK experience. They also do tip percentage POST tax. read more

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Been here a few times but first time posting a review. Got here as soon as it opened for lunch at 11:30am so there was no lineup. Was a bit disappointed as we wanted to order two of the fish set but was told only one was available and they just open. Like that there's refill for the salad although portions are big it's hard to get more salad. If you like deep fried Japanese cutlet a must try. read more

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This is a Japanese barbecue restaurant worth visiting. The barbecue here tastes fantastic, the sushi is crispy, the interior is spacious, and the service is very friendly. read more

Saku is an amazing restaurant that offers top quality katsu with large portions and strong flavors. I genuinely enjoyed every bite I had during this dinner because the meats/veggies in every item are super high quality and cooked to perfection. The breading they use is very thin and extremely crispy but the thing I appreciated most was that it did not feel like an oil bath. This really increased my ability to chow down without the greasey feeling. We ordered the rosu curry and the zenbu katsu. The zenbu is definitely the move for first timers because we were able to get a variety of pork, chicken, veggies, and seafood. Definitely shareable between 2 people, we were super hungry and we still couldn't take it down and had leftovers. My favorite bites were the pork and the shrimp. The rosu curry was awesome because it eats more like an entree with the curry. The curry has so much depth that if you're in the mood for curry, rice and protein this will definitely hit the spot. Unlimited refills on sides (cabbage and pickled), soup, and rice which was awesome!!!!! I also decided to add the mini kake udon and it was so worth it the udon is so delicious. The broth was so umami and felt very clean and light. I would definitely order udon on its own here. Also have no fear if you order the udon side -- it initially replaces the miso soup side on your platter but after you finish it you can get unlimited bowls of miso you just have to ask. We came to Saku on a Thursday night for dinner and they were bopping. Luckily they have a yelp waitlist which was awesome because we put our names on the list and walked to the restaurant, by the time we got there we had a quick wait while they set up the table. The tables are so big and cute!! The store is super spacious and felt super clean. Overall, Saku is a top restaurant in my books and I will be recommending it to anyone who comes to Vancouver. It'll also be added to my must visits on my next trip here! read more

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Nice Atmosphere nice ambience servers are friendly fast service very clean restaurant very good food been here many many times love the food I always keep coming back read more

Looking for the best tonkatsu in Vancouver, then come here. The pork is super soft and the unlimited riced. Soup and cabbage hits the spot. Place is super clean inside also. read more

Saku - Japanese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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This place is busy! Get on the waitlist if you can. Overall for the prices I'd say you get a decent value. My Oroshi hire (filet) katsu had some fat and gristle which should never happen. The grated daikon was watery and didn't have that signature radish bite, probably because the moisture wasn't squeezed out. Watery oroshi also means the sauce went right through the daikon to the bottom and on the plate. Frustrating because not only was the katsu soggy on top but the oroshi couldn't hold the sauce flavor. I ordered 1 Ebi katsu as an add-on ($6) and was disappointed to see such thick breading. The hire katsu nabe was served in a wide flat cast iron dish, almost like a gratin. Nabe is a bowl/soup type of dish so I'm not sure why it's served in something that makes it difficult to scoop the nabe broth. The katsu curry was good. My partner said it's nothing spectacular but it wasn't terrible either, except the sauce texture was grainy. We may give this place another try the next time we visit north. We're definitely spoiled by our favorite Katsu restaurant in Capitol Hill, Seattle! read more

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Ate here with friends. Love the food, amount of serving, and customer service provided. Our waiter was attentive to our order and frequently check in if we needed refills on our water. Thank you to our waiter, you truly made the experience even better. Cheers! read more

we came from out of town and had a car, so getting here was a complete nightmare. parking and traffic are atrocious in this part of town. but once we arrived, the ambiance was so nice our worries melted away. the two of us ordered one entree to share, plus a side of cheese katsu and it was the perfect amount of food (it was late for lunch and we had an early dinner to go to). the presentation was 10/10 gorgeous. i loved the breading on the chicken katsu, would love to try to pork next time. the cheese katsu was beautiful, but maybe more of a novelty. we have to talk about the sesame salad dressing though. i think i just about drank the dressing, it was so good. i probably had more dressing than cabbage. and the staff was soooooo nice and welcoming. loved the experience and cant wait to have it again! read more

Saku - chicken thigh katsu curry with an order of cheese katsu - Japanese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

saku was an incredible experience while visiting vancouver! the waiter was attentive and was very helpful in explaining what makes saku special. the curry was incredible and delicious, wishing that vancouver was closer to enjoy this again! the atmosphere was quite nice as well, casual but also very nice. would recommend!! read more

Saku - chicken katsu curry - Japanese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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I'm sure the regular katsu here is great, but I wasn't a huge fan of my katsu nabe. I came with 3 other friends + 1 child for lunch on Sunday. We got here around 11:45 and joined the Yelp waitlist. Ended up getting seated around 25 minutes later, so the wait wasn't too bad. If I had known before coming that they use Yelp waitlist, I would've added myself to the queue before coming so it'd be a shorter wait. They were very accommodating for my friend's baby and had both a high chair and booster seat available. They don't have physical menus, only a mobile menu accessed by scanning the QR code. I know they're known for their katsu, but I decided to get the katsu nabe (pork katsu cooked with egg and onion in a sweet dashi broth) as I personally find regular katsu a bit too dry. For the pork katsu, you can choose between rosu and hire cuts of the pork. I asked about the difference between the two, and our server said rosu is more juicy and hire is more tender. I got the hire for my katsu nabe for $29. As with all of their katsu, the katsu nabe comes with unlimited rice, soup, and cabbage salad. I personally found the katsu bland with just the broth and asked for katsu sauce so it'd be a bit more flavorful. I also thought the hire cut a bit dry, so I kinda wish I had gotten the rosu cut as that was supposed to be more juicy. I left a bit disappointed with my lunch, especially for the price. Not surprising since I generally don't prefer katsu when it comes to Japanese cuisine. read more

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The best katsu in the PNW fs. I've been to the popular West End location and I found the food here to be better, but the ambiance at the west end is nicer. We luckily did not have to wait in line. The food took a bit to come out, but was worth the wait!! read more

Saku - Japanese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

excellent tonkatsu restaurant! The pork chop were fried to perfection, good service and nice and modern decor. The place is also well ventilated so you don't smell like fried pork chop after a meal. The fatty one is really fatty, so be warn! Fat and oil will literally explode into your mouth once you take a bite. I personally prefer the less fatty(premium) cut, in fact the fillet(tenderloin) cut was actually my favorite. read more

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This is not pork katsu. I order the take out and what I got is this thin slices. This is unacceptable. read more

Saku - Japanese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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The food isnt bad; your typical standard katsu that can be found in any decent restaurant that sells pork katsu. However, the price seems a bit high compared to similar restaurants. Unfortunately, my visit was ruined by the bad service i've experienced. Usually they would give you refills on salad and soup, but the server denied it completely when i asked because another person in our party didnt "spend enough on food". Which is a bit outrageous since he did order with us. There's no mention of this beforehand or anything written on the menu. Seems like an arbitrary decision on the wait staff, which left a very bad taste in my mouth. read more

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

Food was good and nicely presented with awesome services. Priced a bit higher though.

If you are craving tonkatsu pork with rice's come here. The service is amazing and the pork is tender and flavorful. Unlimited rice and cabbage and it taste so good. read more

Saku - Japanese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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One of the best tonkatsu spots I've had! Great to share the platter to try a little but of everything. It was all fried perfectly. There is also unlimited soup, salad, and rice to make sure you're full. Their house made sesame sauce was soooo good for the cabbage salad. Highly recommend a side of curry as well, it went well with the rice and pork! Servers were attentive and nice! Honestly couldn't have had a more satisfying meal. read more

Saku - Japanese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

I really enjoyed dining at this place. The decor is modern, simple, and bright. The service is great and the food is fantastic! I didn't know what to expect but I'm so very glad I went! I had the miso tonkatsu. It was very good. The nice thing about this place is that you have the opportunity to have unlimited side dishes like the pickles, miso soup, or the salad. I had a second helping of the soup. The portion of the tonkatsu was decent. It helps to put yourself on the yelp waitlist to avoid waiting long. It's definitely worth the wait, but it is popular, so if you are someone who would like to time it better, put yourself on the list! Will be back as I enjoyed this place! read more

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

TLDR: Good place for a katsu craving. Love the cheese katsu, recommend ordering it as a side. Environment: The place is spacious and lots of tables for sitting. Vibes are super trendy, modern, and chic. Clean restrooms and eating area. Service: Wait times are reasonable, and I love that you can join the wait list from the app, helps both the restaurant and the customers. Each server seems to have a section and are very organized in the way they execute their service. Our server forgot to add udon to my katsu nabe but it was all good, they offered to add it when I asked about it later but there was just too much food so I declined. Food: The food is good and reasonable priced. My rosu katsu on my nabe was a tad overcooked leaving it a bit tougher to eat. Hopefully this isn't how it's normally cooked? The broth was amazing and flavorful. Wish I had udon with it, server forgot to add it to my order. I love the red pickled vegetables!! I would order a jar if I could. They also offer unlimited salad, miso, and rice. The katsu curry was the same w the meat being a bit tough. The curry didn't have much flavor either, it was a bit watered down maybe? Either way, lacked spices. The star of the show was definitely the cheese katsu. It's been the best cheese katsu we've had so far. The cheese is really flavorful and definitely recommend. read more

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Perfect meal on a cold winter day. The curry sauce paired with katsu, and the crispy yet gooey cheese katsu was good for the soul. The free refill on the delicious soup made this experience a 10/10. Lovely service, we were never kept waiting for long yet did not feel rushed out the door. Had a good time with my friend, it was my first time and I'm sad that there isn't a location in the US yet. I will have to return during my next visit. read more

Saku - Japanese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Delicious katsu, and even more delicious curry! Saku serves one of my favourite Japanese curries in town. Every main comes with unlimited miso soup, rice, and salad. The miso soup is pretty good, but I always just get the one. If you're lucky, your refills will be filled with chunks of goodness. The salad is really good -- their sesame dressing is delicious! I often get two or more salad refills. I got the Chicken Katsu Curry. I love that they separate the curry from the rice and katsu. I hate getting my rice and crispy katsu soggy, so this was perfect for me. I was able to pour curry in to my liking and keep the katsu crispy. The katsu was moist and tender on the inside and crispy on the outside. Perfect for a soft mouth. The seasoning was great as well. The curry had an amazing depth of flavour -- very rich and creamy. My partner said it punched her with flavour. It paired amazingly with the katsu and rice. Note that the curry is just sauce -- no extra chunks of anything -- but it's still amazing. The restaurant itself is very bright and clean and service is always impeccable. read more

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

Came on a Saturday at around 11:30 and we were lucky to be seated right away. The place was pretty full already so I recommend coming early to avoid a wait! We ordered the zenbu katsu set with an extra set of rice, cabbage, and soup (+$8) and a side of curry ($9). Katsu was crispy, light, and flavorful. Big, big portions for the zenbu katsu set so come very hungry!! You also get unlimited soup, salad, and rice, and servers were very attentive in noticing what we needed. Ambiance is clean and calm with a bright interior. Overall, great dining experience and awesome service!! read more

Saku - Zenbu katsu set with extra portion of rice, soup, and salad - Japanese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Thin yet crisped to perfection katsu. The portions were amazing and loved the complimentary refills on miso and sides. I really enjoyed the sauces and pickles with the dish. Casual atmosphere but don't linger too long as someone will be waiting for your table. You can find it easily, just look for the line to get in. read more

Saku - Traditional pork katsu - Japanese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

It's a great spot for tonkatsu! I got the loin (with fat) and it was okay. The rice, miso, and shredded cabbage were all refillable! The tonkatsu was tender but lacked juiciness. It was a little dry when I had it. I've been to 2 Saku locations and I can confirm that their cuts are not juicy. Pretty solid comfort food though! read more

Saku - Japanese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

We just tried a rosu pork katsu to go because my kid was reallllly wanting Katsu. The inside was super cute, everyone's food looked delicious, they were super nice, just let us order one piece alacarte and 15 min later off we went. He ended up eating a few pieces (and a bite for me to sample obviously) on the side right away because hello, fried food is always better on the spot! The crispiness and tenderness was on point, but the end piece I tried was quite fatty and chewy so not a great first impression. The other bite I tried was way better. My kid definitely enjoyed it! I'll need to go back so we can get the sit down experience with the unlimited cabbage, rice, soup, and yummy sauce! read more

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Essentially an all you can eat friend chicken place! I got their chicken breast curry combo with cake with - 1. chicken katsu which was perfectly crispy on the outside and tender on the inside 2. Signature katsu curry - very flavourful and not spicy at all. 3. Cabbage salad - their salad dressing was by far my favourite!!!! It was peanutty, salty and went well with the rest of the food. 4. Plain rice 5. Pickled seaweed Everything other than the chicken katsu is refillable!! The quality of the food is spectacular and their service is quick. The Broadway location is situated at a 5min walk from the Canada line and 99 bus. They also use the Yelp waitlist so don't forget to get yourself on their because this place books up fast!! read more

Saku - Japanese Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia