Delicious katsu at a great price! I hear this place gets very busy. I came for lunch on a weekday and was able to get a table promptly, but most of the tables were taken already. Service is typical of any Asian restaurant. I tried the donkatsu combo with soba. The portion size is very large. I don't think most people can finish it. They give you sesame seeds to grind (you can smell it!) then they pour the donkatsu sauce over it. Comes with a salad and shrimp tempera as well. The donkatsu is nice and crispy. But as it gets cold, it gets a bit dry. The soba noodles were cooked well, not too soggy. They give you radish to put into the dipping sauce so you can adjust to your preference. The portions of everything is so large, be prepared to take some home. I would glady come back and try more food. The other types of katsu look very good and I want to try their udon as well. read more

Yoko - Donkatsu with soba - Japanese Near Me - Buena Park, California

Good small mom and pop shop that was run but Korean folks when we passed by, a bit surprising considering it was mainly Japanese cuisine. Very affordable and good size portion. The combo makes it worth the price here. read more

Yoko - Donkatsu - Japanese Near Me - Buena Park, California

See all

They have ups and downs but on up days, their donkatsu is the best in the OC area! The staff members are also very nice and try to make sure they include everything with their to-go orders as well. read more

got the katsu combo with soba and it was delicious! decided to come here on a whim and we were pleasantly surprised :) katsu was super crispy and soft. the soba was perfect for the hot weather staff was sooo nice and welcomed every customer! loved it! read more

Yoko - katsu combo with soba - Japanese Near Me - Buena Park, California

See all

Their foods are decent in general yet are too salty for my taste. California and spicy tuna rolls that came with a Katsu combo are filling.

I love yokos, the service is great, the ambiance is even better . The food is the best part! I went to sunny hills highschool and this place was my instructor for yearbook's favorite place to eat late nights; very humble staff and very diligent. the "panchan" is really great also, the kimchi is one of my favorite parts. If I have the money to spare I would go for the udon, tonkatsu combo, otherwise the tonkatsu combo will suffice. Anyhow, definitely a great spot to check out when in the area or in the greater oc area tending towards la. read more

My coworker and I had a lunch meeting and our colleagues suggested Yoko. Yoko has a simple menu primarily highlighting their Donkatsu, but they also have Udon and Rolls available. Their Donkatsu and Udon combos are good value. I let everyone else order first so I could be indecisive. They ordered: the Currykatsu ($11.95), Donkatsu ($9.95) and 2 Donkatsu Combo with Soba ($13.95). I decided on getting the Donktasu Combo ($13.95) with Udon. For those of us who ordered the Donkatsu, we received a bowl of sesame seeds to grind. This was a really fun interactive part of the meal. I was being too gentle with the sesame seeds and the waitress came by to tell me to grind up more aggressively. After we were done grinding up the seeds, they came around and gave us the sauce for the Donkatsu. The freshly grinded sesame seeds really made the sauce memorable. When our food arrived, the portions were MASSIVE. I really liked how their Donkatsu came with a bed of thinly sliced cabbage and a delicious dressing instead of rice. This made the meal lighter. The Dotkatsu was also resting on a rack to prevent the bottom from getting soft. I really respect the thought they put into their food. There was even a few side items and sauces that are more clearly Korean influenced. You can say Yoko is a Korean spin on classic Japanese dishes. As for the taste, I like the cabbage salad. The Donkatsu was not as moist inside as I would have liked. The sauce was really good. The udon was a bit disappointing. I would not recommend getting their udon, but I actually finished it and togo-ed most of my Donkatsu for dinner. The portion size is amazing! I also do not recommend the soba noodles. I hear it is chewy and tough since it is not made from buckwheat, but instead made from flour. I think the moral of the story is to stick to the Donkatsu. I say this is a 3.5 star spot but I am rounding up since I feel like they are good value, quick and friendly. I would not recommend it if you are a Donkatsu or Udon connoisseur because you will be disappointed. However if you are looking for a something different/somewhat fusion large portion quick meal, this is an interesting candidate. read more

See all

"A hidden gem." Yes, a gem indeed. It was my favorite go-to for over four years, and it never seemed to fail me. Until I noticed my salad. On one fateful evening, our family ordered five boxes of pork katsu. The katsu was great as always, and as I was about to devour a mouthful of my salad, I saw it. Moldy cabbage. I brushed it off, knowing that no restaurant is perfect. I took the few pieces out and dug around to see if there were more. There was. It was everywhere. My sister suddenly stopped everyone and mentioned how the cabbage was discolored. We all stopped to inspect, and there it was. Grey spotted cabbage. We called to question the condition of the cabbage and the man who answered gave us an earful instead of an apology and was reluctant to take responsibility. He first denied the mold, then said that the molding was normal, then finally offered to give us new, cleaner salad if we drove back. It was a 30 minute trip. When we arrived, we asked if the new cabbage was okay, and the man said something along the lines of, "Yeah yeah, but there may still be some." And there was. Kinda wished they offered a discount instead. My sister still loves this restaurant, and I do too, so we both waived the moldy cabbage incident and went again. This time, the cabbage was better (again, no stores are perfect), but in place of the mold was a fly. I still love this restaurant('s food) because of their epic katsu, but I can no longer eat with blind joy. I am constantly apprehensive about their salads and their hygienic practices (or lack there of). I love you Yoko but I am and will always be wary of how you prepare your food. Actually, I'd rather not know. I will come again and accept your moldy cabbage (plus any amount of flies that may accidentally crawl into your cabbage). Mere mold + highly potential fly cannot keep me from my love for katsu. read more

See all

wow what excellent service and heartfelt care! came in with my daughter on a busy Monday night to enjoy a kid-friendly meal while husband was on a work trip. Owner lady gave us an extra set on the house -- it was so kind of her. read more

Yoko - Japanese Near Me - Buena Park, California

I was craving korean style tonkatsu while in the Orange County area and followed my yelpers to this place. I was not disappointed! I ordered the udon and pork cutlet combo- a huge breaded and fried slab of pork resting on a wire rack to keep it crunchy was placed before. It came with a breaded and fried potato ball and shrimp. Thinly julienned cabbage salad was served with a thousand island type of dressing. Complementary radish kimchi and the best part- a mortar and pestle you grind your sesame seeds they'll be the base for the kathy sauce they pour over it, for a nutty dipping sauce. The oil they fry everything is fresh and doesn't have that old oil taste- yes, I notice those things. Service was fast and friendly, and the pricing versus portion size is very fair. I'm going to bring my husband back here next time! read more

Yoko - Udon combo - Japanese Near Me - Buena Park, California

See all

My family love this place. But, Yesterday, a very large fly came out of the udon soup. When I scooped up the soup with a spoon, the fly seemed to be already wet, so it didn't seem like it was coming out right away. When we called the staff and showed it to them, they took it and said they would not accept any money for this food. I told her that this is our favorite restaurant and please tell the owner to improve the cleanliness issues. However, she said that even when she told the boss, he did not pay much attention and that it was difficult because the number of employees was reduced. It wasn't the answer we expected. I hope the owner of this restaurant reads this review. If something like this had happened in Korea, the restaurant would have been shut down or it would have been on the news. Please pay attention food hygiene. read more

I went early with my mom to try Yoko to avoid any kind of wait. I would recommend the combo just because I think it's pretty good value for how much you get. I was actually very full after finishing my combo so that's definitely a plus. I always like the fact you can grind your own sesame but their sauce was pretty overwhelming in which it makes it hard to actually taste the pork when you dip it. The combo(fyi) comes with pork, cabbage, two banchan dishes, The pork itself is decent. I would say that it's a good thing that it's not all batter and there's actually a good portion of the pork and the fry batter so that's good. I wasn't too big on the croquette maybe because it's like a korean style croquette but it definitely wasn't up there for my favorite croquette. The fried shrimp was not bad, a little small but at least there is actual shrimp in it and it doesn't seem frozen. I don't think it's anything spectacular so idk if I'll be back but I think it's a good bang for your buck kind of place. read more

Yoko - Japanese Near Me - Buena Park, California

See all

I love this place and my fav. But last week, we bought our fav katsu chicken for 6 people . I know they raised the price but they also decreased the portions of the chicken. Usually after consuming it, you still have enough left over but this time its different. And they dont give you the jalapenos and the kimchi something. Its ok to raise the price but please dont be stingy specially for a loyal and regular customers. Hope the management will do something about it so that they will not lose any customers in the future. read more

Maybe a 5-ish minute wait around 7pm on a Friday night. The restaurant is pretty small so don't try to bring any more than 4-5 people at once. 2-4 is perfect. A very simple and nondescript exterior that I wouldn't have guessed as a restaurant if it wasn't for Yelp. Right next to a hair salon too. Their wait-list check in paper is deep inside the restaurant near the cashier. They probably should leave it outside so you don't bother people who are eating just to write down your name. Staff isn't the friendliest, but they're very serious and efficient. No funny business here. I ordered the donkatsu with a side of udon soup and it was a gigantic portion. Great value and quality. Honestly, you could make it two meals or go into a food coma. I went for food coma. The katsu was a whole fried breast chopped into reasonable slices with a fried tempura and fried potatoes ball on the side. The chefs were very thoughtful and had put a grill under the katsu to keep it from mixing and getting mushy at the bottom. On the side was a generous helping of sliced cabbage covered in some kind of mayo sauce. There was also a side of pickled radish and jalapenos. When you first sit down, they give you a mortar of sesame seeds to crush, which I had a great time doing. However, they take your pestle away and put this weird ketchup BBQ sauce in. I preferred the seeds without the sauce personally. The udon was simple but hearty full of vegetables and firm noodles. Very wholesome and filling while not heavy. Overall, a very wholesome place to enjoy a meal. read more

Yoko - Udon & donkatsu combo - Japanese Near Me - Buena Park, California

Background On Visit: After bowling a couple of games at a nearby bowling alley, my friends and I decided to get some grub at Yoko. Credit Cards: Are accepted! Parking: Plenty of parking for all! Ambiance/Decor: A neat small restaurant with modern furnishings and random decor along the walls. Entertainment: Have fun grinding up your sesame seeds to your liking. The grounded up sesame seeds will be used with the donkatasu sauce that'll be provided by the staffer. Service: Staffers were very attentive and provided good service. The plates got to our table at a reasonable time. Food: If you guys are quite famished, you should definitely get the donkatsu combo which comes with either a chickenkatsu or regular donkatsu and any 1 item (udon, soba, california roll, spicy tuna roll, or crunch roll for only $14.92 (including tax)). The order also comes with a bed of cabbage salad. On my visit, I decided on the chickenkatsu and udon. The portion size was more than generous and the best part was that I had leftovers for dinner! The chickenkatsu was lightly breaded, not too oily, tender, and was quite tasty. The cabbage salad complimented the donkatsu really well and, lastly, the udon was what my body needed for the cold day. -Tip: Make sure you are heavy handed when pouring the donkatsu sauce all over your donkatsu. Donkatsu For Thought: Defintely worth coming back! read more

See all

I was here a month ago and I don't know. something about this place changed. it wasn't as good as i remembered. i believe the ownership changed or something because the decor changed too. something is just not right and i can't seem to pinpoint based on my numerous experiences before. read more

No other katsu place compares to Yoko! Their katsu is incredible quality every single time, the banchan is delicious (especially the jalapenos), and all of the dressing and katsu sauce is house-made. The combos are also so good, I either get the Udon combo or the Soba combo because it goes great with the katsu. One time I got the udon with kimchi in it and I could't believe how good it was. The place is packed because of its popularity but they seat you pretty quickly for how poppin' they are. Even when they pack it to-go it looks beautiful and the quality is never compromised. I would suggest calling about 30 min ahead for to-go since they have so many orders stacked. So glad I live close so I can keep going every week! read more

One of my favorite places to go for Katsu. My friends and I always go here and the stereoscoe next door which is convienient. I love the soba and udon that comes with the katsu chicken. It is one of the best Japanese Katsu places I have had around me. Despite it being really busy the most it takes to get seated is 30 minutes, the food does take longer to come but that is because it is fresh soba, udon noodles, and katsu chicken. read more

Yoko - Japanese Near Me - Buena Park, California

My go-to Katsu spot in the area. The food and all the side dishes are so great. If y'all need recommendations, go for the kimchi cheese it is delicious and they always give a side of tempura and fried potato ball. It sometimes can be very busy as the restaurant is small but it never is too long of a wait. read more

Yoko - Kimchi Cheese Katsu combo with Spicy Tuna roll - Japanese Near Me - Buena Park, California

Sooo I usually looove this place & it's my go-to for katsu. But I recently came for takeout, and was not as amazed as I usually am. I usually order the chicken katsu but my friend and I decided to try their cheese katsu. I wish they used a different blend of cheeses because this was not it haha. It was veryyyy cheesy, but not in the pleasant way where it was light and nice. And as you can see from the picture, the cheese has oozed out everywhere and it kind of just solidified like that. Will probably come back for the chicken katsu but not the cheese :/ read more

Yoko - Cheese Katsu - Japanese Near Me - Buena Park, California

The chicken katsu is delicious, crunchy and everything you expect from a traditional Japanese katsu. The ambiance is great and the feel of being in there is very relaxing. read more

I was so excited to come here after hearing lots of positive things about it, but I felt rather disappointed and felt it was a rather lackluster experience. It's a small shop, very cozy, and has attentative servers. Service was quick and they took out orders quickly after we were ready. My best friend ordered the soba combo with beef katsu and I ordered the kimchi cheese katsu. Soba (3/5): Just okay. The soba was just noodles, it wasn't particularly memorable. Beef Katsu (2/5): I wouldn't recommend it all. I didn't like the texture of the meat and it was akin to a meatloaf. It was oddly very gummy while being dry. Kimchi Cheesekatsu (3/5): The better of the two katsus we ordered, however the cheese was the main component that made it better. It was an interesting mix and reminded me of Kimchi Fried Rice. Katsu Sauce (4/5): The star of the whole meal, tbh. I loved how it was rich and added so much flavor to the katsu. The sesame added a surprisingly pleasant flavor to the sauce as well. Overall, I'm happy to finally try it but I wouldn't be coming back anytime soon. read more

See all

The katsu dishes at were average overall. The meat was adequately cooked, though some pieces were a bit tough and not juicy enough. The breading was crispy, but lacked a certain depth of flavor. While the quality of ingredients was acceptable, it didn't stand out compared to other katsu places I've tried. There's one down the street name Lucky Pig that has better quality. It's one of those places that I tried once but will not come back for a while. read more

Great packaging for to-go during this covid time. Plenty of cabbage salad and rice with the perfectly fried katsu! Their sauces that come on the side are a perfect match with the katsu. read more

Hands down the best katsu in California- the soba is also delicious. The sides are dainty because they are cut small, but they provide so much flavor to supplement the entrees. They do have limited seating so unless you visit during non-peak hours, expect to wait a bit outside. read more

Great hole in the wall place... Never would've came here if one of my good friends had not shown it to me. When driving on the street, you would have totally missed this place. Drive right into the plaza and go straight to the corner to this very small katsu place. We got the donkatsu w/ soba noodle combo and the chicken katsu w/ crunch roll combo. Both came with a small fried potato ball and one shrimp katsu, which I really liked. I personally had the combo w/ the crunch roll and let me tell you that the crunch roll is not crunchy. I think they either don't put enough crunchy bits on the outside OR it was sitting in too much sauce. The taste itself was alright, but I might opt for a different side next time. The katsu themselves were AMAZING! Crunchy and juicy with every bite. I could not get enough. Usually when I eat fried foods, I don't feel well afterwards, but after eating the entire plate, my stomach felt content and not overly bloated. Service was quick as the food came out in about 10-15 minutes, which I think it great as the restaurant was full. Would definitely come back to try out the rest of their menu. read more

Yoko - Donkatsu w/ soba combo - Japanese Near Me - Buena Park, California

See all

Does anyone else think that the quality has gone down at this place? I can't put my finger on it but it's definitely not as good as it was a few years ago. Maybe they went through an ownership change? The katsu always seems to look burnt now and the chicken is always so tough. I keep going back, but am disappointed every time now. Sides still taste good though. read more

On top of their already large portions, their combo deal is really good! We had the chicken katsu with a side order of soba noodles. The noodles were chewy and the broth was refreshing. Their katsu was super crispy and served hot. They also come with the sesame seeds you can grind! Fun thing to do while you're waiting haha (which isn't too long). Their donkatsu sauce was also... particularly really good. I ate it with the salad and even some of the soba noodles.... I super appreciate that they also don't have msg! Also.... if you notice them, they have the randomest pictured frames in the restaurant. Like.... I don't get it but ok. Nice meal! read more

Yoko - chicken katsu + soba - Japanese Near Me - Buena Park, California

The donkatsu is pretty good and the price is reasonable. 13 dollars for a katsu with sides, rice, miso soup. The katsu is good. Not world class katsu, but hey it's 13 dollars. read more

Yoko - donkatsu - Japanese Near Me - Buena Park, California

Food here is delicious and decently priced. We really loved it. But one of the old lady servers was super rude, all we wanted to do was to change the order and make it a combo. She said there's no way of doing that. How is that impossible to do? All she had to do was add it to our tab. She refused to do it. But then she made a big mistake with our order and she said she was going to just change it on our bill. Magically, it can be done! Wow! Crazy old lady. read more

This place has been awesome for as long as I can remember. It is thee best donkatsu place around. I'm not a big salad guy, but their man their salad dressing makes me finish the salad every. Single. Time. The katsu is crispy and thick. Idk maybe I'm just easy to please but you can't go wrong at this place. There's always a line during typical hours so we usually take it home and it's still good. read more

10/10. Portion size is huge. Everything was so yummy would def come again! Highly recommend the combo dobkatsu with soba read more

Yoko - Japanese Near Me - Buena Park, California

My goto restaurant if I don't feel like cooking. Love the donkatsu and noodle combo. I also order rolls occasionally and taste good. read more

Such a great spot for lunch after a nice, leisurely jog at nearby Ralph B. Clark park. Seems like a local joint with regulars all here for their HUGE Donkatsu portion combos. Lunchtime is packed but dies down around 2pm as we were promptly seated even with a full house. Here's what we ordered: Donkatsu combo (curry on the side +$3) with crunch roll. They use the same katsu coating for this pork as they do the crunch roll so it was a perfect texture mix. We ordered the curry on the side to get a sampling of different dips between that and the roasted sesame, both were excellent and gives the katsu a variety of flavor profiles. Also appreciate that the salad to katsu ratio is 50/50- a forkful of salad for every bite of protein. Best salad dressing ever imo, deep rich roasted sesame umami flavor that trumps all others I've had. Cheese katsu combo with udon. Ooey gooey cheese that melted all the way from my plate to le hubs' plate. Impressive. Love the texture, just perfect dipped with the roasted sesame sauce and one small slice of pickled jalapeño per bite. I could do without the udon though, the broth was flavorful but the type of udon used was a little too dense for my taste. You can upgrade any combo and switch out the regular donkatsu for chicken/ cheese/ kimchi, anything that they serve on the regular menu they will accommodate in the combo without a fuss. Customer service is so friendly and amenable here, I love that! They really thought of everything with their bargain combos. Something crunchy, savory, sour, sweet, creamy, salty, all-in-all the perfect 1-2 punch for a total knockout meal. read more

See all

Me and my family were looking for a good curry place and we found Yoko. The chickenkatsu was pretty good and the chicken was moist. Me and my sisters had a really fun time grinding up these seeds that smelled nutty. The curry was flavorful and each plate came with a bowl of rice. The portion size was kind of big but I'll make sure to order 2 next time. The staff were super friendly and helpful and I had a good experience here. My only complaint was that the cabbage wasn't that flavorful but the flavor of the chicken dipped in the curry topped with a little chicken made up for it. Overall, this is a great katsu and curry place. read more

I've been wanting to try this place for a while, and I'm so glad i finally got to -- it was so good!! It's a super cute and small mom & pop shop, and the interior gives you a cozy feeling while you enjoy your meal! FOOD We ordered the donkatsu combo and the curry katsu! I'm a huge fan of Japanese curry, so i personally preferred the flavors of the curry katsu, but i love that the donkatsu combo comes with a side and miso soup! If you're a fan of soba, i recommend ordering the soba as your side for the combo, because i really enjoyed it! It's a refreshing, light taste to balance with all the flavor from the katsu! You also get to crush your own sesame seeds before they pour in the katsu sauce to dip your donkatsu in, which was kinda fun lol. PRICING/PORTIONS Between 3 girls we ordered two dishes, and trust me, the portions are HUGE! We barely finished it! Because the portion sizes are so big, I definitely feel like you get your money's worth!!! PARKING The place can be kind of hard to find at first because it's a super low-key shop in the corner of the plaza, but the plaza itself has plenty of parking. Just be aware that there may be a wait outside, because the store is small, and it does get pretty crowded especially around dinner time. Overall, I highly recommend this place if you're having a donkatsu craving!! I definitely will be returning and trying the other flavors! I'm pretty curious about how the kimchi cheese katsu and crunchy roll taste! read more

Yoko - Donkatsu combo with soba noodles! - Japanese Near Me - Buena Park, California

Talk about portion sizes! This place was excellent in portion to price ratio, even the quality of the katsu curry was delicious. Definitely coming back to try more menu items. Place is a bit small so it's good for a nice dinner with a friend or two if you're craving katsu and curry. Thank you yoko :) read more

Yoko - Currykatsu - Japanese Near Me - Buena Park, California

Love, love, love your miso dressing cabbage salad, so why are you wait times so long? It must be bc others have a love for you too! Smallish inside with a cozy feel this place definitely has the word out on the streets for its eats! I don't mind "working" for my eats, so it was a treat to crush my sesame seeds while I wait for my katsu. Portion size for chicken katsu are quite large so plan on eatin', sharing, or take away in your "doggie bag". read more

My boyfriend and I came to eat here during our mini weekend getaway to the OC from San Diego. I read one of the reviews saying "don't believe the hype" but we say believe it!! Food was amazing, and high quality! The shrimp katsu wasn't made from frozen shrimp but tiger shrimp. So yes, prices are a little more expensive but so worth it! Portions are more than enough, they do not skimp out! Luckily we didn't have to wait long during our visit, additionally ordering our food & being served was very speedy. If we this wasn't only 2hrs away from us, we would be here always! But we will definitely come back many more times! read more

My experience: Yoko was okay. I was so excited try and I expected more from their katsu because my friend hyped it. We called in to order and it was fast, I got to the place in 15 minutes as they said it was gonna take 15 minutes to be picked up. I lived pretty close. I ordered their Donkatsu combo with the crunch roll. What I liked is that my order came in meal boxes which is a plus star. I just feel like having all of the items together maybe ruined the quality of the meal a little bit. The Donkatsu: good sized portion, it was really really THIN though. The breading was also flat & soggy when I got the order. The crunch roll: it was okay, the "crunch" for it was not what I was expecting, the crunch was flat and made the roll taste a little bit different. The cabbage & salad dressing: I enjoyed this one the most out of my whole meal. The salad and dressing was refreshing a good contrast to add with the meal. Keeping it Covid safe: they offered hand sanitizers and they enforced social distancing. The staff wore masks. read more

Yoko - Japanese Near Me - Buena Park, California

See all