East Side King

The food is so good, but I was thrilled last night on a chilly night to see they added udon soup noodles to the menu! It was delicious!I also recommend their brussel sprouts, their beet fries, the avocado buns!PLEASE NOTE: the parking lot closest to the door (directly behind the restaurant) does not service East Side King customers and they booted us and demanded $100 to take the boot off. I really thought we were parked the right place, so just a warning so you don't get screwed.

I've eaten Japanese curry all over, including in Japan, and never thought curry could taste awful--until I tried East Side King. I ordered the Chicken Katsu Curry, and it was a huge letdown. The portion was small, the curry sauce was watery and sour--almost like it had gone bad, and the katsu sauce drizzled on the chicken tasted like cough syrup. The whole dish is a complete disaster.If you're craving Japanese curry, avoid this place. You'd be better off making it at home with Japanese curry cubes, which would taste a hundred times better. Save your money and skip East Side King.

food so good I forgot to take a picture before eating it. I have always loved the food truck at high noon, elated to know there is a restaurant. Good pricing for very good food. The chicken bowl was impeccable, but not as good as the katsu ramen. Similar but better (IMO) to the Sa-Ten katsu ramen. Good portion as well.The service was great! The girl that helped us was so nice and accommodating. Will definitely be back.

During spring break, my friend Tania and I decided to go for it and drove our Houstonian butts to Austin for the weekend and it just really is such a good vibe. We spent the early half of the day exploring the pop ups of SXSW weekend and kayaking that we forgot to eat--LOL. So we quickly found a trendy Asian food spot near by called East Side King.You need to drive careful as you approach their location otherwise you'll miss it. It's hidden in plain sight and there's a shared lot right next to it. Walking into this joint though just felt like one of those "I'm remembering this spot" moments, because the murals and aesthetic just welcomed you in that manner. Tania and I were H U N G R Y so we went for their classic bento. Not too long later, we were presented with a beautifully plated meal.Pork belly, chicken, salad, rice--every girls favorite qualities. The flavors were just so good and right in that cannibal-like hunger moment too. If I'm honest, as a girl from Hawai'I who moved to Texas, I really missed being able to order plate lunches. Plate lunches in Hawai'i just have the perfect amount of everything. And it made my tummy happy to have that similar feeling again when dining at East Side King.

I went to East Side King on a lunch break about 30 minutes after opening and was the only one in there when I arrived. I quickly ordered and grabbed a seat and then sat around for a good solid 20-25 minutes before my food arrived. I did one of the bento box meals and overall thought it was decent value and decent flavor. Not bad by any means but nothing too special either. Would be open to trying some other stuff from the menu if I happen to be close by again.

Chill, eclectic and homey with friendly service, this is a great spot to come and enjoy a leisurely lunch. They have a nice variety of items on their menu, and I chose the bento box with the chicken Katsu, jasmine rice, brussels sprouts, slaw, and pork banh mi. Can't speak to other days or times but this Saturday afternoon parking was a breeze. South Lamar is a vibe unto itself so on a sunny, warmer day it would be worth coming back to eat lunch here and then walk around to enjoy some of the local shops.

Fried chicken sando: it's a small Japanese burger. There are chicken + pickles + some sauce inside. Fresh crispy fried chicken. The burger buns are fluffy and slightly toasted.The portion is a bit small for the price.

There's something about powering through a giant bowl of karaage, rice and fresh herbs that's just extreme satisfying. East Side King's rendition still holds up after all the years, ever since my first time getting it probably about a decade ago. They also had a great tent at ACL last year which was my go-to spot for lunch throughout the festival.That said, I have had issues with gluten contamination even though they mark things as safe for celiacs and claim that the fryer is safe. I would warn against it for anyone with a gluten allergy -- as it's the main reason I can't really come here anymore, as much as I wish that I could. I actually had a safer experience at their ACL pop-up than their brick and mortar location.

Food was overcooked and soggy.Parking is always a nightmare with the malicious parking company and limited parking at Chipotle.Not worth the hassle- much better food down the road.

Newbies here, ESK was amazing so flavorful, paired perfect with the cucumber salad That cucumber salad was so tasty full of herbs and a kimchi type paste 10/10. Would go back 1 million times.Natalie was especially helpful.