Ducks Restaurant

Reviews

• Michael B.

  star star star star star 19 September 2026

  I love Ducks restaurant.  I'd call it a mom & pop operation. The food is authentic and taste great.  I always get the chicken curry katsu.  Considering this is San Gabriel Valley, it's actually hard to find decent Japanese curry.  
  
  Well, Ducks has you covered.  If I had any complaints I'd say it's the smaller portion size. If you have a decent appetite then you'll be eating all the rice! I've also had the ramen here as well. It was pretty good.  I was surprised.  
  
  Anyhow, if you're craving Japanese curry then this is the place for you.

• Ashley F.

  star star star star_border star_border 16 September 2026

  A cute small hole in the wall on Las Tunas Blvd. The outside isn't updated so it can deter people from coming in- but it's definitely like going to someone's house inside.
  
  This mom and pop type shop reminds me of having comfort Japanese food as I can easily put it. They have a selection of donburi, curry, ramen, udon and spaghettis.
  
  We opted for the chicken cutlet curry and katsu-donburi and although the flavor was good- it didn't fill us up. Maybe go here for lunch since people have rave reviews about their lunch pairings. For the price, in my opinion it's a bit pricey for the amount you get. Their curry sauce comes on the side so if you want it on the plate I think you have to just let them know. The donburi has a sweet sauce to it but it's really good!
  
  Maybe I didn't get the right order because I left feeling disappointed but I still appreciated the food.
  
  Service was okay since no one was there when we got there but the restaurant eventually had more people coming in and they weren't as attentive.

• W C.

  star star star star star 14 September 2026

  This is our go to place for Japanese comfort food.  Everything we've tried here so far was really good.  The service is always good and they're always friendly.
  
  I recommend the following:
  -any of the curry dishes
  -katsu don
  -oyaku don
  -miso ramen
  -tongkatsu ramen

• Shirley K.

  star star star star star 6 September 2026

  When you crave Chicken Katsu Curry, I would recommend you head out to Ducks Restaurant in San Gabriel. The name Ducks is misleading since duck is not served at this Japanese Curry/Spaghetti Restaurant.  Their décor is ducks although it only has a few ceramic ducks displayed. The curry can be ordered either mild,  medium or hot. I chose the medium curry which came served aplenty in a bowl with a small ladle which you can scoop and pour over your chicken cutlet and rice.  I seem to recall that many years ago, the hot green tea was free.  However now,  it will cost you a $1.95 for a cup of green tea with unlimited refills.  Be warned that the cold drinks are charged with no free refills. Ducks offers a menu of various Japanese beer and cold/hot sake. If you do not care for alcoholic Japanese brew, they do offer Gallo red wine for $3.50. (Wine connoisseurs will be disappointed for sure.) This is a great place to take the family.  They have a bookshelf of manga books for the kids to peruse while waiting for dinner to be served.  This restaurant has a very casual mom and pop atmosphere. The waitresses do speak Japanese which I find rare nowadays when ordering in Japanese restaurants.  I found it very endearing that you can buy a duck's T-shirt for $15 or a hooded sweatshirt for $25.  Except for the menu prices going up,  this cute little restaurant has not changed over the years. Still serving great Japanese comfort food in the City of San Gabriel.

• Sarah S.

  star star star star star_border 29 August 2026

  A small, no frills, mom and pop restaurant tucked away in an unassuming plaza in San Gabriel. Ducks is definitely a hidden gem and I definitely plan to come back!
  
  PARKING: Easy since it's in a plaza. There is also street parking around it.
  
  PRICING: Not dirt cheap but pretty affordable given the quality. Most dishes are $9-12.
  
  FOOD: The KARAAGE ($5) was really good. It was perfectly fried, the chicken was juicy and it wasn't too salty. The PORK KATSU CURRY RICE ($12.50) was really enjoyable -- it reminded me of my childhood. The pork was flavorful and it was fried nicely, and the curry was really hearty and tasty, but a little on the saltier side for my taste. My boyfriend had the KATSUDON ($11.50) and thought it was pretty good, but a little too sweet. The portions aren't the largest here, but it's definitely plenty as we left super full!
  
  SERVICE: Attentive and friendly! Everything came out in a timely manner.  The waiters also seem to have regulars and are good about remembering customers which is nice to see.