Wako Donkatsu — Restaurant in Los Angeles

Their katsus are downright legit! Japanese style super crunchy breading and tender and moist meat! It’s not cheap, but I think it’s reasonable — you get what you paid for. It seems everything is made in-house — katsu sauce, salad dressing, side dishes(pickled jalapeño and radish kimchi), and miso. Everything goes very well together. My observation is that they care a lot about their food quality. Their katsu and everything else has always been consistently just right! Plus it’s a good sign to me that their miso is not too salty! Lots of places serve free miso that’s way too salty. This place seems to care about the overall food experience including the “little things.” This is our go-to katsu place and would recommend it! (We like their pork katsu and chicken katsu. Udon and soba are so-so... fish katsu, not too great.)

*Caution: They have a parking on the other end of the block which used to be free but we’ve been seeing a valet guy lately (at least on weekends). Today we went back to our car and the valet guy wasn’t there and the cart was put aside. There was NO ONE. Our car was left unlocked... and... we found our keys sitting on top of the cart just neglected and exposed in public where NO one was watching. We were just so lucky that no one actually took advantage of it, but in any minute, someone could have stolen our car!!! We couldn’t find the valet guy and just felt speechless. Seriously. Be cautious with the...

Behind this longtime favorite is a story of grit, family, and flavor — Owner Jane, a single mom who journeyed from South Korea in the ’90s, took a chance on a sleepy neighborhood spot and turned it into a katsu haven. For decades, she’s poured heart and hustle into every batch, drawing in regulars with crispy cutlets and a secret sauce that keeps folks coming back.

I still miss their Wilshire location, but I’m so glad they’re still around. Their katsu game remains strong — consistently crispy, juicy, and satisfying. Lately, they’ve leveled up with smoky donkatsu and a late-night menu that keeps fans coming back.

Food: 4/5 Pork, chicken, and curry katsu (カツ) are still my go-to classics. The hamburger cutlet (ハンバーグカツ) has an interesting texture — not quite a burger patty, but definitely worth a try.

Service: 3/5 Pretty average service — food arrives quickly, but no real check-ins or follow-up after that.

Parking: 3/5 (Difficult) They used to share parking with a nearby building, but that’s no longer the case. Street parking is available, though it can be hit or miss depending on the...

Excellent donkatsu! Every time I am in Ktown, I wanna drop by this place. The place is packed all the time. The donkatsu is juicy with the perfect amount of crispiness. The curry is savory. The dark grey noodles (I forgot what they are called…oh yeah buckwheat noodles 모밀) are the exact amount of firmness. I see below…they are called soba. The sauce for the buckwheat noodles is awesome sauce. The cheese donkatsu is a little cheesy. I recommend that one person order the cheese donkatsu and another person order the regular donkatsu and split & share.

This place even has an activity. It’s fun to crush the sesame while waiting for the sauce to be poured into the saucer.

Chilled barley water. 보리차. Now that’s awesome!

Portions are too big…actually. And I feel guilty ordering only two plates for three people.

Excellent decor!

One tip - do not annoy the servers, particularly during their break time. And double check that you received your credit card after paying. Most servers are so good. Just keep on your toes.

But all in all, this...