REVIEW: Looking to Escape the Crowds in EPCOT? Go Here.

If there’s one Disney World park that’s known for its wide variety of culinary options, it’s EPCOT!

Japan Pavilion in EPCOT

With 11 different countries in the World Showcase and at least one restaurant in each pavilion, there are SO many options. You can try eats from all over the world, and while some are pretty spectacular, others can be…lackluster. Recently, I stopped by one of the park’s least popular restaurants to see if it’s a hidden gem, or truly just a swing and a miss.

Atmosphere

For this review, I’m taking you along with me to Katsura Grill! This quick service spot is tucked away in the back of the Japan Pavilion, hidden amongst the stunning gardens. It even has a somewhat hidden staircase entrance!

Let’s go to Katsura Grill!

The views around the restaurant are absolutely beautiful. On a nice day, I could spend hours strolling through the gardens and just enjoying the sights and sounds.

It’s tucked away in a garden

The restaurant has a rather lovely outdoor seating area. It was pretty peaceful when I first sat down out here and no other parties were sitting outside for the lunch rush yet. The sounds of the wildlife and the running water nearby were quite calming.

Outdoor seating

But if you prefer some air conditioning, there’s also seating inside the restaurant. It’s a little limited, but the windows provide nice views outside.

Inside the restaurant

This is one of the few quick service spots in Disney World that doesn’t offer Mobile Order. You’ll have to stand in line at the counter to get your food, so there was already a line early on in the lunch rush.

Counter and queue

Now let’s dive into that menu!

Menu

The menu screen was broken up into two parts. In the first section, you’ll find sushi roll options, as well as ramen and udon. They also have a Chicken Cutlet Curry. 

Menu

If you want a beverage, they’ve got beer, sake, cocktails, and soft drinks. And for dessert, you can either get the Mousse Cake or the beloved Yuzu Cheesecake.

The other half of the menu

If you want a different type of entree, you can try ordering one of the teriyaki dishes — they come in shrimp, chicken, and beef varieties. Sides available include yuzu miso wings, edamame, salad, and miso soup.

©Disney

And we can’t forget about the kiddos! There are three different teriyaki options for them as well.

©Disney

Let’s dive into what I ordered!

Eats

I wanted to try from a few different sections, so I got the Shrimp and Chicken Teriyaki, the Beef Udon (which was listed on the online menu but not listed in the store), and the Mousse Cake.

Full spread!

Starting out with the Shrimp and Chicken Teriyaki, this is served with steamed rice and mixed vegetables for $14.99. It’s a pretty decent portion, but the rice and veggies were a little lacking.

Some of the rice was still kind of crunchy, and the broccoli was BARELY steamed — still quite crunchy. There wasn’t much depth of flavor to either of those sides, so you’ll want to mix them with the teriyaki sauce for sure.

Shrimp and Chicken Teriyaki

The chicken pieces in this dish tasted and looked like they were made of chicken thighs, instead of chicken breasts. They were a bit juicier, but they were definitely a smidge on the fatty side. The sauce is a bit thin and doesn’t have much flavor besides some sweetness and a little bit of soy. 

Chicken

Of the two meats, the shrimp was a smidge better, in my opinion. These were tender and juicy, with a nice amount of chew. However, my biggest issue here was that the tails were still on! Having the tails on the shrimp is a big pain when they’re swimming in sauce, because it’s rather messy to remove them. Is that a pet peeve for anyone else out there?

Shrimp

Next up was the Beef Udon, and this was by FAR my favorite thing I ate! It’s one of the pricier entrees at $15.99 but it makes up for that with rich flavor and sheer portion size.

Beef Udon

The noodles were soft and thick, which was the perfect texture for a soup. They weren’t mushy at all! You get a HUGE portion of shredded beef in the bowl, and it pairs perfectly with the hot, salty broth. This would be amazing on a cooler day.

A forkful of noodles

For dessert, I tried the lesser-known of the two sweet treats at Katsura Grill, the Mousse Cake. This is available for $6.

Mousse Cake

It’s a pretty simple yellow cake with strawberry flavored frosting and gelatin-like filling/topping. The cake itself wasn’t bad, but it also wasn’t anything to write home about. I was a smidge disappointed about this because I was expecting something a little more mousse-forward, but the only texture you get similar to that is the whipped frosting, which is just sugary and lightly fruit flavored.

Forkful of cake

So how does Katsura Grill fare overall?

Nosh or Not?

Make the trek up the hill to Katsura Grill if…

• You want some fast Japanese cuisine. If you’re craving Japanese cuisine and you want it FAST or on a budget, Katsura Grill is your main option.
• You’re an udon fan! If you like udon or other Japanese noodle dishes, this might be a good stop for a quick bite.
• You want to sit and relax in the garden. I won’t deny that the outdoor seating is absolutely lovely (if it’s not the hottest part of the year). It was a great way to unwind in the middle of a park day.

Skip out on Katsura if…

• You want a guaranteed indoor seat. Seating indoors is limited and there aren’t many large tables. If you want an indoor meal, you might want to try somewhere larger like Connections Eatery.
• You want truly groundbreaking or spectacular cuisine. For top-notch Japanese eats, you’ll need to try one of the table service restaurants in the pavilion. We’re particular fans of Shiki-Sai: Sushi Izakaya.

Katsura Grill review

Overall

In the end, I thought this restaurant was just fine… and that has been my experience with it on past visits as well. The mousse cake and the teriyaki were a bit underwhelming, but the Beef Udon really knocked it out of the park! If I were to recommend this spot, I would suggest stopping by for the udon or just to snag some grab-and-go sushi. 

Katsura Grill

This also isn’t the most convenient spot in EPCOT because of its location and the fact that it doesn’t offer Mobile Order. The indoor seats fill up quickly, so it’s not as fun to dine here in the summertime if you have to sit outside. But when the weather is good? You can’t beat that stunning garden atmosphere!

That’s a wrap on my visit to Katsura Grill, thanks for coming along! We’ll keep you in the loop with more dining reviews and news from around Disney World.

We’ve Eaten at Every Single EPCOT Restaurant — These Are the Best!

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Have you ever been to Katsura Grill? Tell us in the comments!

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