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    Saku

    4.3 (298 reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 3:00 pm, 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM

    Order Saku Takeout or Delivery

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    SAKU ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Trendy
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Saku

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    Rosu katsu
    Emily Y.

    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.

    ED A.

    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.

    Cheese katsu
    Jen-Ann L.

    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.

    Hire Curry
    Andrea O.

    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.

    Mayu D.

    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.

    Joy Q.

    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

    Zenbu Katsu
    Valerie Y.

    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.

    Beatrice H.

    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!

    Katsu Nabe
    John C.

    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.

    Tokujyo Rosu Katsu
    Areeta W.

    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.

    Cristina L.

    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.

    Cheese katsu (apart of Zenbu Katsu)
    May-Lynn L.

    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!

    Everett L.

    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.

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    2 years ago

    Their staffs are so lovely and helpful. I love their Hire katsu. I'll definately go there again.

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    3 years ago

    The service there was amazing! They were fast and attentive. One of the best katsu I've had! I got the curry pork loin and it was amazing!

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    Page 4 of 8

    Saku Reviews in Other Languages

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    Ramen DANBO - Robson

    Ramen DANBO - Robson

    4.4
    (763 reviews)
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    I recommend going early! Since I was having a solo party, I was able to be seated early at the…read morecounter if there were any available seats! The guy in front of me, Deng, looked at me with such envy as he cut in line. This place is incredibly popular! Every time I pass by, there's a long queue. Even on rainy days, people are willing to get soaked in the rain just to have a bowl of hot tonkotsu ramen. While you're queuing, the staff will hand out menus. The ordering system is similar to Ichiran Ramen; you can choose the noodle firmness, broth consistency, spiciness, green onions, oil level, and MSG amount . The basic ramen is only $13. I added a soft-boiled egg and pickled cabbage for $2 each. Although the pickled cabbage is really expensive , I can't help it, I'm a pickled cabbage addict! The pickled cabbage paired with the rich tonkotsu broth was refreshing. The broth was flavorful but not greasy, the noodles were chewy and springy, and the portion size was just right. Overall, it's incredibly good value for money; no wonder there's always a queue. After eating, you really get that "Ah~ this is the taste of happiness" feeling

    Coming from Hawaii, I had high expectations. This is my 2nd time visiting Vancouver, and the 1st…read moretime had a long line that I walked away from. This time, still a line, but it went faster. This is definitely not a sit down and enjoy your meal w anyone. Order your food from a slip of paper you're given so that by the time you sit, they collect it and place the order. Seats are hard and it is devised where you and then leave. I had the goma vegetarian and my brother the tonkatsu. We both had thicker noodles. However, one could not tell. The vegetarian was loaded with sesame seeds. Now i love those seeds but it was way too much for my liking. Too much seeds to chew on. They also do not put any vegetables on like Hawaii does. Everything is ala carte and that adds up. I simply chose the ramen version without all the add ons. The broth was yummy but again with the loaded seeds, it made it challenging to just drink the soup. I will say, Hawaii has by far better ramen, but this place was ok too. Pricey for for what you get though.

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    Marugame Udon

    Marugame Udon

    4.0
    (102 reviews)
    2.0 km
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    There was a lot of hype around this place when it first opened and i passed by it many times. I…read moredecided to check it out for dinner, mostly to check it off my list of Japanese restaurants to try. As a transit user, It's conveniently located across the street from chinatown stadium skytrain station. I like that it opens a bit later until 10pm so i can go there after an evening movie at international village a 5 minute walk away. There was basically no queue to order so i was able to order as soon as i walked into the restaurant. I told the staff i was a first time customer and asked what was the most popular dish, and they said number 5 which is the nikutama udon. It comes with sweet beef, BK sauce, and onsen eggs on top of thick udon noodles. The braised sweet beef was alright in terms of flavor and it definitely hit the spot. It's by far the best ingredient in the udon. I had never tried onsen eggs before, and I didn't really care for them. It's basically eggs that were cooked slowly at a low temperature. The texture and appearance is unusual in my opinion. i thought the nikutama udon overall was pretty good and it has unique flavors and ingredients. It's not amazing but I can understand why people love the unique BK sauce's flavors. There's not many customization options but you can get the dish served hot or cold, and you can choose to get a regular version or larger version for only $1.50 more. There's apparently a lot of hype around the BK sauce but i didn't find it that great. It has a unique combination of salty, sweet, and smoky flavors. The portion size is a little smaller than i prefer so i'd definitely get the large size. But i think most people will find the regular size just fine. I was able to eat my whole dish within 5-7 minutes and im not a person that wolfs down their meal quickly. Price-wise, the cost of their udon is fair. They are around $12-13. Slightly cheaper than other ramen places. The tempura add-ons are expensive in my opinion but I saw lots of folks buying them anyways. At the time, other ramen places like Kinton Ramen had a $15 set meal, which I thought was a better deal because it came with a special summer drink and gyoza. I wish Marugame's nikutama udon had something like this. Like adding a choice of a couple tempura and a drink for a similar price. The dining area was a little smaller than expected because half of it was closed at the time. But I was still able to find a seat at the counter where i could eat my dish. They don't use a wait staff but it's cafeteria style where you get the food at the counter and bring your dish to the table, and bring it back to the cleaning area yourself. I like that you can get your own water at a tap, napkins, utensils, and cups too instead of asking for them at the counter. The dining area was pretty clean and spacious. Overall, I give Marugame 4 stars out of 5. You should definitely check it out at least once if you are a fan of Japanese udon. Try the nikutama udon with BK sauce and see if you'll like it too.

    Japanese udon chain restaurant. Right across from the Stadium Skytrain station. Medium sized space…read morewith simple modern decor. There is the ordering area after you enter and the seating area to the left. You order at the first counter for the udon or rice bowls, which they'll assemble for you on the spot, or bring it to your table if they are waiting on udon noodles. Then you move left where you can self-serve the tempura items, and then pay at the cashier. Utensils, sauces, and water are off to a counter in the seat area, and there's a return area to bring back your empty bowls/trays. Not super busy when we got there on a weekend night, but filled up as an event at BC Place was ending. We got the beef udon with the classic soup, the beef rice bowl that has the runny egg, the chicken katsu curry udon, and a few tempura items. My favorite was definitely the curry udon, since the curry soup/sauce had more flavor. Out of the fried items, the shrimp tempura is delicious, and the zucchini tempura has a nice sweetness to it. Udon noodles were pretty good, has a nice solid texture to them. Overall bill was $50ish for 3 people. And since this is basically fast food, you don't necessarily have to tip.

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    Mount Everest Kitchen & Grill

    Mount Everest Kitchen & Grill

    4.6
    (113 reviews)
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    We were visiting from California. We arrived on the later side of dinner. The restaurant was still…read morevery busy and full of people who appeared to be Indian/Pakistani - always a good sign. They have a big tv above the bar and above the entrance that was showing the hockey game. It's a small storefront entrance on a busy street but you couldn't hear the street noise. The food was AMAZING. We got the goat biryani, chicken tikka masala, samosas, garlic naan, mango lassi and a hot chai. Big delicious portions of everything. The service was ok, they were busy and potentially less attentive than usual. Anyway, would definitely go back again.

    First there is no mistaking this for a high end restaurant as another review recorded. This is a…read moresolid Nepalese joint. However it is not focused and instead provides a little bit of the region for everyone (Nepal, China, India, Pakistani influences). Came in for lunch on a weekday. Quickly seated and tended to by the staff. Interior is more of a diner scene than nice cafe. Bathrooms are gender neutral and clean but not nice. Here's my three things: 1) I got a lunch special featuring fish peckora, and tandoor chicken. Good flavor but missed on the real spice flavors. Veg salad was sour and worked with the rest of the plate. 2) These folks can make some NAAN! The Naan stole the show. Sweet, salty and crisp. 3) Price wise you can fill up and have a drink for $25-30CAN.

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    Big Bowl Rice

    Big Bowl Rice

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    This is a small little hole in the wall restaurant serving up some traditional Taiwanese dishes. We…read morecame on a weekday afternoon right before the busy lunch hour - it was packed 30 min after we arrived! The gentleman (owner?) greeted us and provided us with some suggestions on their best sellers. During our dining experience, he was a little loud with shouting instructions to the kitchen and we did feel a bit rushed to finish our meal and not occupy the table with diners lining up. I ordered the beef noodle soup, and the noodles were prepared well (good texture and not soggy) and the soup had a slight but not overwhelm sour taste from the preserved vegetables. The beef wasn't as tender as it could be, but it wasn't chewy or tough to eat. Prices are reasonable at around $20 after tax and tips. While it wasn't the best or most authentic beef noodle soup I've had, it does hit the spot if I'm craving Taiwanese food downtown or want a hot bowl of noodle soup on a cold day.

    A small self served Taiwanese eatery. I come here when Ramen Gojiro next door is too crowded and I…read moredo not want to wait. I think most people do that so it also gets filled up during the lunch hour rush. The food is ok, nothing special. The price increase makes it even less appealing. I don't know why there is chili in my Taiwanese beef noodle soup. I don't like spicy soup. Lucky I am ok with spice but I wish it is stated in the menu? So if you cannot take spicy food, check with them before ordering. The beef noodle soup is tasty as I do like the addition of pickled vegetables in it, giving a bit of tartness. The beef is tender though the quantity is very little. More noodles than meat ratio. The combo is totally not worth it now that the price has gone up to about $13. If you want rice and noodle for lunch, I think Peaceful Restaurant across the street is a better bet. At least the portion is bigger.

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    Pho Quynh Express

    Pho Quynh Express

    3.0
    (5 reviews)
    2.4 km

    Happy a pho restaurant opened up in this area since there's only one other option within walking…read moredistance. It's perfect for a casual lunch break or take out option. This pho restaurant is a chain so they are consistent with their food and their top service. The and noodles come hot. The amount of food and quality is good. Broth needs to be a bit deeper flavor, but I still enjoy the food regardless.

    Wish I could like this place as it's so convenient. Walkable distance from Granville and Burrard…read moreskytrain and Scotiabank movie theatre. Bun Bo Hue (Small $16.19) - super spicy, but that's fine since I enjoy spicy foods. The issue was that the broth was quite bland, and the spiciness wasn't enough to make up for it. Usually, this soup base has a lot of depth and flavour from broth that's been simmering for a long time to extract those flavours, but this was probably one of the worst ones I've tried. Decent portion of meat, at least 3-4 large slices of Vietnamese ham and goor amount of beef slices. The noodles were SUPER undercooked! Good portion of bean sprouts, and came with 1 wedge of lime. Beef Brisket and Beef Ball in Noodle Soup (Large $17.62) - again, VERY bland broth. The noodles also tasted sort of like freezer burn? Decent portion of meat and filling enough. Just had to douse in Siracha and oyster sauce to finish the bowl though... Pork Spring Rolls ($10.48) - flavour was decent, nothing special. Deep fried okay as well. No complaints here but no endorsement either. There's no music in the restaurant either so it's a tad awkward. Staff are friendly. Lots of seating, including a patio area.

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    Shrimp and veggie rolls with peanut sauce!!

    Saku - japanese - Updated July 2026

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