Katsura Grill is a counter-service restaurant Epcot’s World Showcase. The restaurant resides in the Japan Pavilion and serves a variety of Japanese cuisine including Teriyaki, Sushi and Udon. Located just above the beautiful Japanese gardens, Katsura Grill has seating available both indoors and outdoors. The restaurant takes part in the Disney Dining Plan as a counter-service credit but doesn’t accept any other discounts at this time. In this post, we’ll cover Katsura Grill’s ambiance, food and value!

World Showcase’s Japan Pavilion is one of my favorite places in all of Walt Disney World. The Mitsukoshi Department Store embodies some of the hustle & bustle of Tokyo, the gallery showcases some of Japan’s culture and history, and the Japanese gardens feature some of the precision and beauty seen across the entire country. The latter is what drew me to Japan in the first place and what makes the Japan Pavilion a place that I keep coming back to. Katsura Grill is named after a place in Kyoto and it certainly gives the feeling of that incredible city.

Saying that a restaurant’s best trait is the atmosphere can often times be an insult. There are very few restaurants that offer a setting so great that you want to go there regardless of the food, even at Walt Disney World. The outdoor seating area at Katsura Grill offers just that, making the atmosphere well worth eating there or simply worth relaxing at. There are tables just outside of the restaurant that overlook the entire gardens from above. A water feature and paper lanterns are right next to the tables. Further down the path, into the gardens, are more tables although they don’t have the view that the tables up above have.

Inside Katsura Grill is more of a typical counter-service setting with quite a few tables and nothing particularly distinct. The place can get a bit crowded but will do in a pinch. As long as it’s not pouring rain, we recommend sitting outside. There should be tables in the shade so it won’t be absurdly hot unless you are visiting in the middle of summer. If you do end up sitting inside, try to get a table by the windows for a better view of the Japan Pavilion and World Showcase as a whole.

As for the food at Katsura Grill, the restaurant offers a solid assortment of options. The menu is broken down into three parts – Sushi, Noodles, and Recommended Menu. There are a few other options on the menu but those are the main ones. 

Above is the Chicken Cutlet Curry, a delicious option! The curry is thick and rich, closer to a stew than what you might find in an Indian Curry. It can almost act like a bit of a gravy for the rice and chicken cutlet. The cutlet is breaded in panko and was delicious, even without the curry. This is one of the more expensive options at Katsura Grill, at $15.99 but it’s also one of the best. What it lacks in value, it makes up for in deliciousness while being very filling.

The Shrimp Tempura Udon includes two delicious deep fried shrimp in a darker broth with udon noodles. I prefer the Beef Udon (more on that in a minute) but this is a strong option. The broth has just enough flavor to make the dish tasty but not overpowering. It doesn’t pair as well with the shrimp as it does the beef but it’s still good. At $14, this is a strong option!

The Beef Udon is a great option and I really enjoyed every aspect of it. The thick noodles were cooked well, soaking up the flavor from the broth. There’s a generous helping of beef and it pairs really well with the broth, adding a good amount of flavor. I thought the broth was good, offering a little bit of salt. While I’ve certainly had better broth, serving Beef Udon in a theme park is ambitious and this dish lives up to the challenge. I’d happily order it again and would recommend it over everything else we’ve tried.

The Sushi is a bit of letdown at Katsura Grill as it’s all prepackaged. That’s not to say it’s bad, this is better than gas station/grocery store sushi. It’s also better than some options I’ve tried at cheap conveyor belt sushi places. That’s where my compliments end as the flavor is fairly muted and everything about it is average. If you really want some sushi and are looking for something on the cheaper side than ordering it here is a fine option, otherwise go with something else.

Overall, the food is good at Katsura Grill. Everything we have tried has been decent to really good. I’d stick to the curry or the udon over other options, although they are hot dishes that may not be as appealing during Disney World’s hot summer.. Everything on the menu is in the $10-$16 range, making it fall in line with most counter-service values.

Mixing in pretty good food with excellent atmosphere is where Katsura Grill really sees the stock rise. The food won’t blow you away, the setting is fantastic especially after a hectic day in the parks. That’s ultimately why we think highly of Katsura Grill and would recommend it to those that are curious about Japanese food.  The food represents a safe introduction and the atmosphere reminds us of Japan more than the food. That makes Katsura Grill a winner.

Overall Rating – 8.5/10

Have you been to Katsura Grill?  Let us know your thoughts or any questions you might have in the comments below. Planning a trip to Walt Disney World? Check out our Disney World Trip Planning Guide to help you out. Looking for discount tickets? Check out this site! If you enjoy what you are reading here on Wandering in Disney please share this post with your friends, as well as like our social media pages. You can also subscribe to the blog via WordPress or email.  All of those links are on the right side of this page. Thank you for reading, we really appreciate it!