Saku

We had a wonderful dining experience at this Japanese restaurant. The tonkatsu was absolutely delicious — perfectly crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. The cabbage was incredibly fresh and paired beautifully with the dish, and the soup was flavorful and comforting. Our waitress, Nami, was exceptionally attentive and thoughtful. She checked in on us regularly to make sure everything was perfect, which made us feel truly cared for. The service was genuinely warm and sincere. Overall, it was a fantastic experience, and we will definitely be coming back. Highly recommended! 🍱✨

A solid place for tonkatsu. Excellent food, fast and attentive service, clean and spacious environment. No wonder there is always a line waiting. We were at Saku for lunch at weekend. Waited in line for 10 mins. Staff was very friendly offering us menu for pre-ordering while we were waiting. The tonkatsu was excellent, tender and juicy inside with crunchy skin. Very satisfying. The salad was fresh and free refill. The miso soup and white rice came in the meal were great too. I also like the self grind seasome which brings out great flavor. The service was good too. The waiter was attentive with water refilling and checking on us. It's a large restaurant with more than 15 tables but does not feel over crowded or too loud.

Saku feels closer to fine dining than a typical Japanese restaurant. The interior is beautifully designed with stone and wood that feels modern yet homey. Even though I noticed some IKEA pieces, the overall space is one of the better looking Japanese restaurants I have been to in Vancouver. The restaurant was full, but the booth seating gave us a sense of privacy and made it easy to have our own conversation. One small downside was the lighting in the booth, as several spotlights were pointed directly at us and felt distracting while eating. Everything was very clean, including the bathrooms. We ordered the Zenbu Katsu to share between my wife, our three year old, and myself, and it was more than enough food. The platter was massive, easily one of the largest I have ever been served. The katsu was moist and well executed, and portions were very generous. I did order a side of house curry, which was fine but nothing special and probably not something I would order again. The frying oil could have been a bit fresher. Service was excellent, with refills on rice, soup, and cabbage salad, which is a nice touch. Saku is also incredibly family friendly. They have a family restroom, a stool for toddlers to wash their hands, and even coloring pages for kids. If you are craving katsu, dining with a large group, or eating with kids, this is a great spot that leaves you satisfied. I would definitely return.

Superb katsu 😍 Wasn't as oily and overwhelming as I expected fried stuff to be! I had the katsu with scallops and prawns and the skin was soooo crispy and crunchy, while keeping the seafood completely moist and chewy as it should be 💯 Wonderful that they have free refills for stuff like rice, miso soup and shredded lettuce but I didn't even need it because portions are already so generous! There's lots of sauces and condiments (like pickles ❤️) which made it a wholesome and wonderful meal :) Service was great and friendly, and it's great they have a waiting list system so you can queue in advance and virtually, definitely worth a visit!!! 😚

Everything tastes, looks, and feels fresh and clean. The place is spotless, and I am not exaggerating when I say I’ve never tasted fresher ingredients in any restaurant before. The pork is thin, but very tasty. The side dishes are refillable and the price seems high, but for the quality of the service, the food, and the dining experience, it’s worth it.

We ordered the Kake udon ($18) and the rosu katsu ($26). Both dishes were very delicious and perfect for rainy weather. The Katsu and the salad that came with it was very very well-made, and the pork selection was the perfect amount of fatty and lean. It wasn’t busy around the time that we went, which was around 6:30 or 7 PM on a Monday evening. There was still a lot of seating around that time. I would definitely come back to this place to eat katsu again.

Saku is honestly the best donkatsu restaurant I’ve ever been to! I’ve been to Japan many times, and this place is even better than some of the famous spots there. We were in Vancouver for just three days on a family trip, but we ended up going to Saku twice because we knew we’d miss it. So crispy, juicy, and just perfect — highly recommend!

Food was great. Cabbage and rice fresh and miso soup was great. All 3 are free top ops. The pork loin was juicy, fresh, crispy and perfectly cooked. The pickles and sauce is a great accompaniment. Would recommend. Servers are sweet and so friendly.

I think you can tell that I like this place...we come to Vancouver once a year and eat here 2x during the 3 days we spend here, so that is saying something! My new favorite dish is the ebi hotate curry which comes with 3 shrimps and 2 scallops. Ugh amazing. Cooked to perfection! The cabbage and miso is AYCE and the sauce you can put on the cabbage makes me like cabbage. I need to recipe. Service is always fantastic!

We love Saku. Every time we want to visit Canada we always make it our duty to visit Saku. The service here is pretty fast and attentive. The vibe is aesthetic casual dining. We've had tonkatsu in Japan and feel like Saku is the closest we have been to getting that experience again. The rosu katsu is more fatty and tender so we always stick to that option. The unlimited soup, rice, and salad are amazing to have as an option if you ever want more. We always opt for more salad because the dressing is so addicting. Also, we get the cheese katsu and ebi whenever we visit too because it is too good to skip out on. We will always come back here whenever we come to visit Vancouver!

If you're craving katsu, Saku is definitely the spot to check out. They don't take reservations, and there's often a line out the door, so I recommend lining up before it opens or visiting during off-peak hours. The interior is super aesthetic and clean, making it a great dining atmosphere. The service is fantastic--the staff are so friendly and helpful, which adds to the experience. I ordered the tokujyo rosu katsu, and it was perfectly crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. The meal also came with unlimited rice, tonjiru, and shredded cabbage, which was such a nice touch. The salad dressing for the cabbage was incredibly tasty too.

Best katsu around! Will eat here every time I'm in Vancouver! The curry udon is amazing too!

This was a very tasty Japanese dining experience in Vancouver! They don't take reservations, but you can get on the waitlist in advance through Yelp. We did this, and we had about a 20 minute wait once we arrived. The interior is fairly large, and we were seated at a large booth. They have a variety of different tonkatsu options including various grades of pork as well as chicken. I had the premium pork option. All meals are served on a tray with soup, salad, and rice. You can get unlimited refills of everything except the meat of course. The salad had a delicious sesame dressing, and the rice was moist and tasty. The soup was super hot and tasty as well. The main event - the pork tonkatsu. It was not as tender as I would have liked, and the exterior coating was a bit oily (but not too bad). I still enjoyed it, though, and I would definitely order it again. Unfortunately the only soft drinks they have are in cans rather than from a fountain with refills. The service was great!! Extremely friendly and attentive. If you have a tonkatsu craving in Vancouver, Saku is a good choice!

What an incredible experience. This ended up being one of my favorite restaurants in Vancouver. My friend had wanted to go here so we went around 8pm on a Saturday. It was pretty busy but they were able to accommodate us immediately. The interior of the restaurant is so beautiful. The employees were so nice and attentive throughout our entire stay. For the food, we ended up ordering the following dishes: The Zenbu Katsu (assortment of katsu) Cheese Katsu Kake Udon Deep fried Oyster Potato Croquette Everything was delicious and I mean everything. My personal favorites were between the Rosu Katsu, hire Katsu and chicken thigh katsu. Every single bite, I was just so amazed by the consistency. I'll definitely come back here again when I'm in Vancouver. Thank you so much Saku!

This place was amazing! The food was crispy, fresh, and filling. It was like a dream come true eating the Japanese fried chicken. The Zenbu Katsu - variety of pork katsu, chicken katsu, cheese, scallop, and tempura shrimp and pumpkin. Also included is fresh cabbage, sesame, miso soup, and sauces Indoor seating only and it is refreshing inside. Good lighting, natural lighting, and welcoming atmosphere. The servers are also such nice people and polite. Restrooms inside are super clean too. Parking was a bit tough, street parking.

A very elegant, spacious restaurant with very calming pastel colours. They have a limited menu of katsu, but thats all they need as there are lineups for this place. Each portion of katsu comes with their house made miso soup, salad and rice. Miso soup very rich and tasty. Salad came with sesame salad dressing that was actually liquid crack so that was also very good. The rice was only okay, but that comes with high expectations after some very good rice at another restaurant. Pork Katsu - crispy outside juicy inside Cheese katsu - first couple bites were nice, but gotta eat this fast because its less tasty when it starts getting cold.

The food and customer service is incredible. I came inside and was approached by a friendly hostess and while my group was being led to our dinner table, they asked if there were any allergies. The restaurant is stunning and beautiful. I love the decor and ambiance. The restaurant is very clean and I love the places/cups they use. I ordered the Katsu Nabe (both Hire and Rosu) and the whitefish Katsu, everything was perfectly cooked and seasoned. It's so nice that the thinly shredded cabbage comes with a yummy sesame dressing. The miso soup is the best miso soup I've ever had-delicious! The cabbage, miso soup, and rice are all unlimited with each Katsu set, wow! The waitress came to check up on my group a good amount of times to see if we wanted anything more, so I asked for more cabbage and soup! The presentation of the food was beautiful and nicely plated. I'd be happy to come here again to try other dishes and I would definitely recommend this restaurant

Excellent Japanese food! The closest to authentic katsu outside of Japan. Street parking is available. Spacious dining room and friendly staff.

Nice servers, quick service usually and good portion of katsu. One of the best place to get katsu. It's a bit pricey compared to the other katsu place but the juiciness of the meat makes up for the price. I like the salad dressing and the tonkatsu sauce. The picture is taken a year ago so I don't remember what I got back then, but I tried the potato croquettes. It's not what I expected and would be more worth it to get something else for the sides.

Ah Saku. I took my family here to celebrate my daughter's birthday - she wanted nothing more than unlimited miso soup. Yes it's true - it's very cool hnlimited rice soup and salad! Prompt and courteous service. Great food. Unlimited extras. What more could you want? The cutlet is great. The curry is really good - my son wouldn't let me try it - it was hard to get some to sample. I ordered the Nabe which I liked - egg onion soup mixture was really tasty. You can't go wrong and you'll leave very full. This is an absolutely satisfying experience!

We just tried a rosu pork katsu to go because my kid was really wanting Katsu. The inside was super cute, everyone's food looked delicious, they were super nice, a bit pricy especially for one piece alacarte but 15 min later off we went. My kid 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 need to go back so we can get the sit down experience with the unlimited cabbage, rice, soup, and yummy sauce! I'm sure that's more worth the cost and fresher!

Saku is a wonderfully reliable chain in Vancouver! The katsus are always crispy and the oil feels clean. I order the Zenbu a lot, which is kind of a crazy meal for one, but definitely a worthy order for two. As an Asian, I love the unlimited rice, soup, and salad, and the DIY sesame seed grinding is definitely a gimmick but still very fun. Reasonably priced, exceptionally clean. I find myself coming once every few months at least!

Saku had to be one of my best meals in Vancouver. They specialize in katsu (deep fried meat cutlet), and their katsu sets include tonjiru, cabbage salad, rice, pickles, and several condiments. Not a katsu person? Saku also offers udon. I ordered the Hire Katsu (pork fillet) for CA$26 and substituted the tonjiru for kake udon for additional CA$4 and added a jumbo ebi for additional CA$6. Presentation was on point. Everything was in its own dish or bowl and served neatly on a wooden tray. The katsu was elevated on a metal grate to allow bottom airflow, minimizing condensation that would otherwise cause soggy batter. Everything was absolutely delicious! The pork fillet was very moist and flavorful, and the batter was light and crispy. With the variety of condiments provided, you can dress up each slice of meat differently: tangy Japanese mayo, umami katsu sauce +/- nutty white sesame seeds, or simple salt. The ebi was meaty and had a nice crunch. Udon noodles had a good chew, and the dashi broth was light. The house made sesame dressing for the cabbage salad was divine! I would buy a bottle of it if Saku sold it. Overall portion size was just right as I came hungry. Service was also very pleasant. I was checked in twice and asked about dietary restrictions. The restaurant is also relatively large, spacious, and bright with natural lighting from the windows. Saku is open everyday for lunch and dinner and there's four locations: two in Vancouver, one in Richmond, and one in Coquitlam. I highly recommend Saku and would revisit if I'm back in BC!

One of the best Japanese curries I have ever had! So close to the curry in Japan. We got the Chicken Katsu curry and the Curry Udon (with pork). Everything was extremely fresh, service was great, and the salad was one of the best salads I have ever had. Extremely cute restaurant and will be back!

Love Saku! My favourite place to get Japanese Katsu!! The food is always well made, very crispy and fresh Katsu. I'm lactose intolerant but the cheese katsu, so amazing. I love being able to have unlimited rice, miso soup, and salad. Their miso soup is actually one of my favourites, I love the onion and carrot in the soup, really makes it feel like a hardy soup. Service is always great and they are always very nice and honestly it's fast for what it is. Expect a lot of check in and don't be shy to get that extra bowl of miso soup! The space at the Robson one is honestly quite nice and it has nice high ceilings and warm lighting. The booths feel like separate rooms cause of how deep they are. Amazing food and an amazing time always, never disappointed!

Truly insane place that I will go to again and again. Their panko is light, flavorful, and crisp. The cheese, chicken, and pork were incredible, fresh and light. All the sauces were perfect additions. Wait was about 25 minutes for 4 people mid afternoon, but they have a neat feature in Yelp to join the waitlist. Staff is so friendly and service is quick. Love the aesthetic as well, next time I'll bring a larger group and get a booth.

I happened to see a reel on Instagram for Saku just before our trip and made it a point to get here on our first day. We showed up just before opening time and the staff graciously let us wait inside since it was raining out. They pointed us to the menu and asked us to decide ahead of time while they got the restaurant ready. I opted for the Ebi Hotate Katsu and my partner got the Hire Katsu Curry. I still dream about mine LOL The tempura was fried to perfection - a spot-on ratio of breading to filling. HUGE pieces of shrimp, plentiful sides (free refill for soup, rice, and cabbage), and beautiful presentation to match. Your meal is brought to you on a huge wooden tray with each part thoughtfully arranged The service was also fantastic. I think they were training the waitress helping us, and she was so thoughtful and attentive. I overheard them checking in with many other tables that filled up very quickly after opening. Inside the restaurant was very clean and spacious with a modern feel to it. I really enjoyed it! I'd even say the katsu here rivals what I've had in Japan, except much closer. I'll definitely be back!!

Saku is THE place to get pork katsu in Vancouver! I'd say it's pretty close to what you would find in Japan. Located on a quiet, quaint street in the heart of Vancouver, the restaurant has peaceful and bright interiors and is easily accessible via public transportation and by foot. The menu features all sorts of pork dishes, but I got the curry pork katsu which came with a soup, a generous portion of white rice (they even refilled it), and some pickles on the side. The smell and presentation were heavenly, and I devoured my meal while enjoying a nice view. I've heard good things about their ebi and pork-wrapped mozzarella but didn't have a chance to try them myself. Was recommended this place by a friend and will be recommending it to anyone who visits Vancouver.

If you are a fan of tonkatsu, you will love Saku in Richmond. The tonkatsu was tender, juicy, and crunchy, with a perfect balance of meat and fat. It came with a tangy and savory sauce, a refreshing cabbage salad, and a bowl of steamed rice (that has free refills!). The portion was huge and satisfying, and the price was very reasonable for the quality. We also ordered the Ebi Katsu to share. Everything was fresh, flavorful, and beautifully presented. Our server was friendly, attentive, and knowledgeable. The restaurant was clean, comfortable, and had a relaxing atmosphere. We had a great experience at Saku and we will definitely be back. If you are looking for a place to indulge in some delicious tonkatsu , you should give Saku a try.

Ok, this place is really good. It's worth the wait, but they do use Yelp Waitlist, so you can get added to their virtual waitlist from the comfort of your couch or wherever you are. The service, food, decor - everything was outstanding. As I write this review allll the way from Texas, I'm craving that crispy fried chicken and cabbage. I wish I could have tried the cheese, but the portions are so huge (like, Texas-sized) I had no room to try anything else. For those who don't eat pork, know that they fry all of the food in the same oil (they told me that), so know before you go. I normally would have passed on my order, but I was still limited because there's seems to be pork or pork broth in everything.

This may have been my favorite meal in Vancouver! It was walking distance from our hotel and a must on our list, and it should be on yours too! We stopped in around dinner time on a Tuesday and there was about a 20 minute wait. We took a stroll through the area and returned and were promptly seated. The waiter was so friendly and walked us through everything. I went with the pork Rosu Katsu and added 2 pieces of the cheese katsu. Everything is served together on a tray and the sides are unlimited, though we were stuffed with just one serving of everything. The soup was incredible, so simple yet so complex, the rice was good, and I loved the sauce with the cabbage. The katsu was fried to perfection! I highly recommend the cheese, either add a couple of pieces of split it with someone else, It was so warm and stretchy and gooey. The pork was juicy and moist, just perfect! I also loved that you could make your own sauce, the ingredients were there and they made suggestions, but it was fun to experiment. Overall, we loved our experience and meal here and would definitely do it again next time we are in town.

I've heard a lot about this place, even all the way in Seattle! We were on a weekend trip from the US to Vancouver and I'm glad I finally tried it! We arrived at Saturday around 1 and there was no wait (although we probably got one of the last tables). I couldn't decide which katsu to get, so we decided to share the zenbu katsu and order an extra set of sides. It was a cold day so we also replaced one of the side soups with udon. The katsu was SO good! I've never had such light and flaky katsu before. My favorite was the shrimp (ebi) katsu. The pickles that come on the side are so perfect for balancing out the heaviness from all that fried food. Honestly, this was a really heavy and huge meal. The last few bites were DIFFICULT but so delicious still. The waiters were also extremely attentive! My water cup was never empty and they checked in regularly to see how we were doing + refilling sides :) This place was so cute and clean, I will certainly visit on my next trip to Vancouver!

Probably one of the best Tonkatsu I have had comparing with the ones I had in Japan and Hawaii! Modern interior decor, friendly staffs, non-greasy but juicy pork fillets and loins. We ordered: the premium katsu, the option with the shaved daikon, the Hire Katsu (most lean, fillet) and a kids menu. Everything was great and I think we like the Hire Katsu the most because lean yet still juicy. Highly recommended for anyone craving for Tonkatsu around the area (they have 3 stores in Vancouver areas, pls look for the one nearest to you)

Everything here was perfect. Definitely coming back here when I visit Vancouver again. I'm not a fan of katsu but my boyfriend had requested Katsu for dinner so I found this place on yelp. I was very surprised by the quality of each dish. The fluffiness and crispy bite of each Katsu was astonishing. I don't think I'll ever be able to try anything better than this place. Went back home to get Katsu and it did not hit the same. The meat was so juicy and it was all cooked perfectly. The complementary sauce they have at the table was a light peanut sauce that we drizzled over the rice and katsu. It added a nice change of flavor. The udon noodles seemed to be made fresh. I really enjoyed the broth. It was very simple but still tasty. I would recommend making a reservation or joining the waitlist on yelp. It can get very busy! The workers were all very kind. The restaurant was clean and bright.

If you're familiar with the Saboten chain of katsu restaurants, you'll also love Saku. Very similar concept. Make sure to check the waitlist often as it can get busy very suddenly and it is one popular place. Host was very accommodating and got us a whole nice booth to ourselves (just be willing to wait a little more) but I love the text when table is ready feature so you don't need to crowd around the host desk. Our server was very friendly and also spoke Japanese! Food was great, you do get refills on rice salad and soup. The tokujyo pork was recommended as premium. Tasted good had some tender parts and some less tender. I'd recommend trying to eat the katsu asap before anything else because the breading got steamy and then soggy by the time I got to it. The kabocha croquette was pretty good as well. Overall it was a sumptuous meal and highly recommend it

I always hype up this place to my friends, and to people coming from other countries but I might have to drop the recommendation. I came here during weekday lunchtime as a group of 4. Ordered the usual Tokujyo Rosu Katsu. Unfortunately this visit was very disappointing. Katsu tastes good but the breading was falling off. It was bad that I was tempted to return this to the kitchen. I wonder what happened? They expanded too fast that they can't maintain the quality of the existing store??! Hopefully they fixed it the future. I guess no more Saku for me for at least half a year. The salad sauce was too grainy as every time they refill the bottle, the amount sesame seeds grows and no longer in the same ratio. Service was good as usual, attentive server and they do ask if we want refill from time to time.

We ordered the Rosu Katsu, a deep-fried breaded pork loin, and the Hire Katsu, a deep-fried breaded pork fillet, at Saku on Robson Street in Vancouver. The Katsu set was served with unlimited rice, tonjiru soup, and shredded cabbage, making it a satisfying and well-rounded meal. The sesame-based dressing on the cabbage was particularly delicious and added a unique flavor to the dish. I loved it so much that I wished it was available for purchase to take home. The crispy, juicy katsu and thoughtful accompaniments made this dining experience unforgettable.

During our stay in Canada, this was one of the best places we ate at. The ambiance itself had a lovely aesthetic and staff were very friendly. I'm sure this place can get crowded on the weekends but we came on a weekday with a group and were seated right away. The katsu was so tender and sauce was tasty. Love that they have unlimited rice as well! This will definitely be a place I return to when I visit again and will definitely recommend to family and friends.

Was walking around the neighborhood and stumbled upon this place because we were drawn to how pretty it looked inside! The food was incredible, definitely the best katsu I've ever had in my life without a doubt. Our server had a trainer badge on, but she was super tentative and informative. Definitely recommend the Katsu Nabe (Katsudon) and the Rosu. We also got a side of the cheese Katsu and it was a perfect small portion for us to sample.

This place is delicious! Wait might be long, so I suggest you join the waitlist and put in your order. We ordered the Rosu curry, and definitely coming back for this again. Pork is tender and juicy, curry was flavorful. The cheese curry was ooey gooey and kid approved. Rice, salad and cabbage for salad is refillable. Great place to come when you're in Vancouver. The waiters are very attentive, coming back multiple times to see if you needed anything. All the staff are nice and friendly! The interior looks very modern and contemporary clean feel. Glad I found this place!

Saku is a place with juicy katsu, unlimited rice, miso soup, and cabbage refill. Honestly, we need more of these!!! The Zenbu katsu is a great deal and enough to feed 2 people honestly. The portions here are HUGE and as someone who loves the cabbage, I could literally eat 3 of these nonstop. Overall, I'd definitely come again! But beware of the line! I wouldn't say the line moves particularly fast but the Richmond location definitely has a lot of seats (but also a lot of demand).

Reservation is easy to make. Arrived 5 mins early and was told to wait for the tables. Table was ready in about 10 minutes. We ordered the pork loin cut and we enjoyed it a lot. However, it was a bit on the oily side and you can actually oil on the plate. Meat was juicy and tender tho, so 4 stars. Soup, rice and salad have unlimited refill. We also ordered cheese katsu, nothing special, it tastes like mozzarella cheese stick :P Service was good and waitress paid attention to us. Overall, it's an excellent restaurant if you like Tonkatsu.

Went to Vancouver with friends for a quick trip up from Seattle and we went to Saku for our first meal. It was outstanding and I would eat there every day if I lived in Vancouver. Chicken katsu is one of the best chicken dishes in my opinion and they nailed it. Service was quick and friendly (like every restaurant we went to) and the ambiance was nice since it looked like they recently renovated the place with nice lighting and new finishes. I should mention that the portions are great and the food is even better. I think this may be one of the best chicken katsu's I've had and I would definitely come back to try it again. It was very crispy and the chicken was tender. The sesame dipping situation you get to make yourself by mashing it around with the stone thing. That was fun as well. I will definitely be back to try something different if I come back to visit Vancouver! 8.75/10 would recommend.

Wow. Wow wow wow! We had been missing Japanese food (and katsu in particular) since leaving our trip to Japan and this place hit the spot. The katsu itself was juicy and perfectly crispy without having too thick of breading! We had been walking around the area and randomly stumbled upon Saku and decided to give it a try based on the cute aesthetics and overall ambiance, and we were blown away by everything else! Our server was in training that day, and she was incredibly kind and knowledgeable on recommendations.

My friend and I came here since I have multiple friends recommending this place for tonkatsu, and it was overall pretty good. We came around 7pm on a sunday night, but we did put our name on the yelp waitlist and waited about 20 minutes. I got the cheese katsu while my friend got the chicken katsu with curry. Both were delicious and the meat were super tender. However, i did feel like the cheese katsu had more cheese filling than meat, but i still enjoyed it. The meal comes with rice, cabbage salad, and miso soup and I believe all of them are unlimited! The servers are super nice and food came out fast. It was a great experience!

I came here with 2 other colleagues for dinner. I ordered the miso cutlet (came with rice, miso, cabbage, salt, sauce, sesame for $28) because it is a special item that I can get only at this location. I found the miso cutlet a bit salty plus the bottom of the cutlet was falling a part and soggy. The first couple bites it was quite tasty. I really like the fact that I can refill on cabbage salad, miso soup and rice. Service was good. They came around couple times to refill water. Seating was good but awkward at the same time. We are a table of three and we were given this giant table that could fit like 6 or 7 people. The decor was nice and the place is very bright. The wait wasn't bad either. I placed my name through Yelp and from the time I placed my name on the waitlist till when I got a table, the wait was about 25 mins. I will be back for sure.

We've walked by here a few times and it's always been super busy. There wasn't a lineup so we decided to give it a go. The ambiance is light, airy and filled with people enjoying their assorted katsu's. We ordered the zenbu katsu that included rosu, hire, chicken, cheese, ebi and hotate. It's great to be able to try all the different varieties and we added the additional set of rice, to jour and salad. There was a lot of deep fried goodness and I think my favourite was the chicken funny enough. Can you have too much food deep fried? Maybe and glad we substituted the kake udon which was amazing. Highly recommend you try this place out! Also, make sure you add the dressing to the shredded cabbage :)

I would eat this as my last meal ever. I have never tasted better Katsu in my life, and Saku has blown my mind. We got the Zenbu Katsu and miso katsu. I didn't realize that Zenbu Katsu could feed 2 people easy and maybe 3. I couldn't finish it but got pretty close to it after stuffing myself to the brim. It was so amazing, especially the Katsu that's in the back. SO tender and juicy. The miso soup is also great. If you don't want to get the whole set, then miso katsu would be my next choice. It is this location only but the miso works sooo well with the chicken katsu.

Make sure to join the Yelp waitlist before you come! They don't take reservations (anymore?) but if you keep an eye out for how long the queue is in advance, you can avoid a long wait. The interior is really nice, with bright and clean design and a very spacious layout. One could argue, maybe too spacious, since there were lots of tables for bigger parties that were taken up by small groups. Idk they have their own queue management system I suppose. I really liked that there was a great view of food prep behind the bar (you could see bowl after bowl of the yummy cabbage sides being prepared in particular). My friend and I ordered the rosu and hire curries, both with the kake udon instead of the pork miso. The tonkatsu was so tender and juicy, with a wonderful breading - not too heavy and with a great texture. The curry was... good? but I didn't think there was anything particularly special about it. It wasn't very weighty, which is good - it really let the tonkatsu stand out more. The shredded cabbage was SO delicious. The leaves were really thinly sliced and really fresh, and the mayo/sesame/vinegar-ish sauce was super yummy. Just don't add too much, it can get a bit soggy and cover up how delicious the cabbage is naturally. (And you can get refills! We both ate multiple bowls of the salad.) The udon was very yummy too. I think the noodles were cooked very well (not too soft), and the soup was very simple yet fragrant (I was also extremely cold that evening as to be warmed up by the broth haha). Overall, a very fantastic meal at a great price point. We didn't have to wait for too long to be seated, and service was very sweet and prompt across the board. I can't wait to come again and try one of their many other delicious options!

It's been a while since I've come here. This time my dish tasted a lot better. Perhaps I'm more of a chicken gal than a pork one. The Chicken Thigh Katsu was juicy & well breaded & crispy. Prices are even more expensive now and lines are long. I'd keep an eye on the wait-list and go on it before you are at the door as you could be waiting awhile of you don't. Located on a corner street on Robson. The place is quite spacious and can fit many groups. Better than I last remembered.

I've seen Saku's growth over the years. I've been multiple times over the years. For the quality of food, it's just average. I had the Cheese Katsu for the first time at Saku and it compelled me to finally do an update. Cheese Katsu was pretty much deep fried cheese. The thin pork was pretty much nonexistent and the cheese flavourless. My college had the pork and he said it was average. Soup was 3 sips, coleslaw was 3 bites. Refills now are pre portioned so they bring it over instead coming by with a bowl and tongs. The layout of the floor is easier for the servers to serve us now compared to their original location. When I think about my quick lunch back at the office. There really was nothing that was memorable. I knew I went in for katsu because I wanted to be inspired to cook as I had a pork tenderloin defrosting at home in the fridge. Decor It's updated and pretty. Service While checking in, we can also order while we wait. Food came quickly. I feel turnover is important to them. Our wait was about 5 minutes that day. Come for the pretty pictures and average fried goods. It's going to be awhile before a friend visiting drags me here.

Well know for their katsu - I usually get their pork version - either the fillet or loin. There are a lot of side dishes that have unlimited refills (miso, rice, salad) and the portion sizes are quite filling. We came here on a weekday evening and there was no wait although they do not seat you until everyone in your party is here. You can also join the waitlist virtually which is nice if having to make plans ahead of time. Lots of spacious seating. Would recommend!

SO SO GOOD! We waited about an hour to get a table (and filled the time with getting a drink at a nearby bar) but it was so worth it. The tonkatsu here is delicious. Hands down the best I've ever had. My mom was shocked to hear me say this since I grew up in Hawaii, but this one was outstanding. We were seated towards the end of the dinner service time so we got placed into a large booth! We had a lot of space to enjoy our meal. While my husband opted for just tonkatsu, I also wanted ebi so got the combo. Everything was perfect. They fried everything to perfection. Light and crispy and not overly oily at all. The true indicator of a Japanese restaurant can boil down to the rice and it was perfect. Everything checked off here. I hope to be able to come back to this delicious restaurant one day!

We've been meaning to try Saku but there is always a long line. Finally we were waling by early when they opened and got seated with 10 minutes. We know now why there is always a long wait. Saku is an authentic Japanese pork cutlet restaurant located in the heart of downtown Vancouver on Robson Street. We shared the Zenbu Katsu with Rosu, Hire, Chicken Thigh, 2pc Cheese, 1pc Ebi, 1pc Hotate, 2pc Vegetables set with rice, tonjiru and salad. Happy we added salad as there was a lot of deep fried food. I also ordered a green tea. The ambiance is bright and clean with happy people dining in with family and friends. Definitely recommend if you haven't tried Saku.

Their company policy is that everyone in the group needs to be present before being seated, so make sure you plan ahead. We ordered a variety so we could try multiple items on their menu as we were only in Vancouver for a short trip. The best dishes were the chicken thigh with curry and seafood katsu. The chicken thighs were so juicy and tender, the pork just seemed tough in comparison. The ebi and scallops were also huge and fried to perfection. Saku is the first katsu restaurant I've been to where I don't leave feeling like I've had a heavy meal. Their batter is somehow light and their salad with their secret dressing complements it perfectly. My friends also got their potato croquettes which had a crisp exterior with a mashed potato interior. The restaurant itself is also beautiful and they have a great set up for groups as well as individuals who come to eat alone. Service is attentive and they gave us space to enjoy while making sure we stayed hydrated. We will definitely be back next time we're in Vancouver!

We came just before the rush and didn't have to wait long at all on a weekday - but as we were leaving there was definitely a line! So if you can, come in earlier or add yourself on the waitlist! This place was recommended to me by a friend and I decided to stop by while on a trip and it did not disappoint! We wanted to try a little bit of everything so we split the zenbu Katsu (Rosu, Hire, Chicken Thigh, 1pc Cheese, 1pc Ebi, 1pc Hotate and 2pc Vegetables) and we added potato croquette as well. It was definitely super filling for 2 people and we couldn't finish it all! Everything came out super fresh and the batter was so light and crispy! They walk you through the different cuts of meat and what best sauce you should pair it with. We loved the service and it was just such a cute restaurant! Excellent service! I can't say much about parking since we took public transportation to get here but definitely stop by if you're in the area!

Saku has very delicious katsu selections. We ordered Ebi Katsu and Rosu Katsu with the Curry Add-Ons. They both are wonderfully flavored and very tender!