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Muracci's Japanese Curry & Grill
Category: Restaurants Japanese Japanese [Edit]
307 Kearny St(between Bush St & Pine St)
San Francisco, CA 94108
Neighborhood: Financial District
(415) 773-1101
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 11 am - 6 pm
Fri 11 am - 5 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Price Range:
-
$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
Jackie D. said: "I give 5 stars just for the ambiance and decor alone. I love the modern feel an the way they set up each private glass booth. This was my first time trying yakitori and I thought it was a good experience. It's a little pricey for…" read more »
738 reviews for Muracci's Japanese Curry & Grill
Review Highlights
"I recommend the hot chicken katsu curry."
(in 164 reviews)
"My usual order consists of brown rice."
(in 184 reviews)
"Loved the pickled cabbage and radish."
(in 27 reviews)
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738 reviews in English
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Review from Sandy L.
2/4/2012 2 Check-ins Here
I really do love this spot. I love it's hole in the wall feel, I love that they take lots of care into the preparation of their food, I love that they continue to give great service and haven't compromised their quality despite their growing fan-base.
This is my GO TO when I have cravings for Japanese curry for LUNCH. I was downtown with the boyfriend yesterday and when deciding where to go, MURACCI'S came to mind! We know that over the year's the lines have become more and more ridiculous so we knew to CALL AHEAD OF TIME and PUT IN OUR ORDER prior to arriving. And it was exactly as we expected. They said 15 minutes and after a quick stop at H&M from Union Square, we were at the front of Muracci's within 15 minutes and the line was out the door and partial into the next store front!
We squeezed our way into the tiny restaurant to the front cashier area, paid and walked out with our "TO-GO" package ready to eat! This isn't a place where you'll stay and eat...they have very limited seating!
We found some benches and consumed EVERYTHING! Hot prepared rice, crispy chicken katsu with their special curry sauce. O-M-G... i really do love their curry sauce more than any other japanese curry truck/restaurant i've been to in SF. Creamy, just the right amount of spicy, and bits and pieces of all their veggies. If you wait too long you'll miss the crispiness of the chicken, but their breading is very good! I haven't had an experience where they overcooked the chicken and I always find it very juicy and perfectly fried on the outside.
CALL IN! GO TRY! -
Review from Stephanie T.
San Francisco, CA
2/5/2012
It's homestyle Japanese food served out of a hole in the wall downtown. Incredible how many people they fit behind the counter in this tiny shop! The line can go out the door but if you choose to get in it, it does move pretty fast.
One of the few Japanese places I've seen where the entire staff actually seems to be Japanese (or at least Asian). That should speak for itself!
Very popular are the Katsu curries (a coworker of mine calls this place the japa curry truck that doesn't move) and I recently tried the oyako don... Muraccis inari and other sushi rolls are nothing too special but they are very cheap. -
Review from Johnny W.
2/1/2012 1 Check-in Here
I came here for lunch once, during a visit to the Bay two winters ago, before I'd moved to the city. Unfortunately, I haven't had occasion to go back since my move, much of which is due to the fact that Muracci's is up two steps, and thus, not wheelchair accessible.
That said, I came with a friend last time, who was kind enough to go wait in line and order curry to-go. Yes, even at 230pm, the place was still crowded, the lines were still long, and it still took nearly half an hour to get our food. From what I've heard though, you can call in your order ahead of time, which, perhaps, is sage advice.
Having ordered their spicy chicken katsu curry, my conclusion was that it was enjoyable, but not amazingly so. While their curry is pretty darn tasty, and their chicken katsu is good, I've experienced better-fried katsu before (unfortunately, I'm not aware of an English equivalent for the Chinese adjective I'm thinking of here).
Overall though, pretty solid Japanese curry that clocks in at 3.5 stars for me. If you're nearby, and won't be hindered by the steps, be sure to drop by - and call in your order before you do! -
Review from Ugen N.
San Francisco, CA
2/7/2012
Man, do I feel this place. I order the tonkatsu curry, extra spicy, and extra veggies every time.
I have my obessions. One of which is Muracci's curry. I've tried duplicating this dish at home and needless to say, it was a culinary fail. Their sauce is savory and spicy without the viscous texture. Ah, sooo good.
FYI, they take plastic but have limited seating. No one is perfect. -
Review from Sofia R.
My friend and I were starving and we were on the lookout for a place to eat. I was being picky but when I found out this place was closeby, I decided we needed to eat here.
This place is a lot smaller than I anticipated, but it's not bad. Menu is pretty big. I LOVE that they have mochis and cakes on display in case you want something sweet. They sell good quality teas too which delights me.
I ordered chicken katsu curry with brown rice and a curry pan for myself while my friend ordered the tofu curry and a doriyaki. Wait wasn't too long. My friend and I killed time by eating our snacks.
The doriyaki is not homemade, but it's still tasty. If you like red bean paste, get it. I LOVED my curry pan! It's house made and it comes in different flavors. I saw beef veggie, beef curry, and chicken curry but I chose chicken curry because it seemed popular. It's pretty cheap ($2.25?) but it's super tasty. It's very much like a curry empanada, but I went nuts for the crispy bread layer. SO GOOD. I considered buying more before going to class.
Our actual meals were good too. Oh man, I've never had such a delicious chicken katsu. And with the curry? Perfection. The serving is big so the price is just right. My friend agrees.
I will for sure be back to try more of their dishes. -
Review from Derek N.
San Francisco, CA
1/8/2012 2 Check-ins Here
I must pass by here once a week, and never stopped in. Took the plunge last week and field-tested the chicken katsu curry. It was good, nothing special. No seating, so I took my order to go and ate somewhere else. Tried a katsu piece before the steam murders the crunch. Good crunch, and spicy curry sauce. I asked for brown rice btw.
Shooo you pigeons hovering around my lunch. -
Review from Ryan T.
San Francisco, CA
1/19/2012
I'm biased. I have a soft spot for Japanese curry. But, that also means that I've tried a lot of it -- both in Japan and in the U.S.
This is some of the best I've had on this side of the Pacific. Katsu is always crispy -- if you don't let it sit a long time -- and the breading is just right. I think the extra spicy is a bit much, but the medium spicy is perfect!
Wish I went more often, but I just have to eat it all, and I go into a sleepy coma at work afterwards. -
Review from Nadeem A.
Union City, CA
12/28/2011 1 photo
We were super excited to try Muracci's, since we love LOVE Japanese curry. My idea of a perfect curry is Hotaru's cury in San Mateo, and I was expecting Muracci's to become the new favorite based on the fabulous reviews.
But Muracci's didn't live up to my expectations. I ordered the spicy curry with chicken cutlet, and it was spicy hot, but lacked a certain depth of flavor. I'm not sure how to explain it, but it was just missing something.
Now that I don't live in SF anymore, there is no need to go to Muracci's for my curry fix. Hello Hotaru! -
Review from Courtney C.
Berkeley, CA
12/31/2011
I've recently become a big fan of Japanese curry and when I found out that Muracci's is only a couple blocks from my workplace, I had to try it out.
Unsurprisingly, when my coworkers and I arrived at around 12:30, the line was out the door. However, they had an employee take our order as we stood in line, to expedite the process. All four of us had our food within 15 minutes which isn't bad for such a hoppin' place. I imagine if we had the foresight to call in our order ahead of time, gratification would have been more instant.
Seating is limited but as most people seem to take their orders to-go, it wasn't impossible to procure seats along the counter.
The food is great! I ordered the chicken katsu curry over brown rice. The chicken was breaded lightly and not too greasy. The curry was flavorful and even managed to make the brown rice enjoyable. (I am a strong proponent for white rice but I was feeling healthy that day.) The portions were huge and I left the restaurant ready to suffer the rest of the day from an excruciating case of food coma. -
Review from Scott S.
12/31/2011 1 Check-in Here
I kind of hyped this place up for myself, but the food here still wasn't too far from my expectations;
I got the medium spicy katsu curry with brown rice amidst yelp suggestions that spicy/extra spicy overpowers the flavor of curry -- probably a wise choice, but next time I'd probably go with white rice instead.
One thing I'd probably change about Muracci's: the curry here would be a lot better if they also served the yellow (saffron) rice that most "traditional" Japanese curry places serve up.
Other than that, I guess I will be ordering "Curry Beef/Chicken" from Chinese restaurants no more. -
Review from Sean L.
San Francisco, CA
1/11/2012
One of my favorite spots in town for lunch. Too bad I work in the Embarcadero Centers and can't take too much off for lunch.
I would absolutely recommend their Katsu curry, which is curry over rice with tonkatsu (breaded and fried pork). It's delicious and the most authentic katsu curry I've tasted in SF so far. Bit on the pricy side (9.70 + tax), but nothing crazy given it's SF. It gets packed during lunch, so they will take orders from people in the line which makes the process a lot faster. The curry pan (breaded fried bread with curry inside) is delicious too. -
Review from Karis L.
San Jose, CA
12/20/2011
Awesome Japanese Curry to satisfy my cravings during the work week.
What I've had so far:
1. Pork Katsu Curry with Brown Rice - typically what I order. I usually get medium spicy which adds just enough heat without overpowering the curry flavor. The Pork is breaded perfectly and it's not super oily. I usually order it as is it plain but once added spinach...it's nice to have the vegetables but the extra cost doesn't make it worth it.
2. Tofu and Veggie Curry with Brown Rice - I tried this once. It was good, as always came with their flavorful curry. The tofu was lightly fried and the vegetables consisted of 3 vegetables: broccoli, carrots and another one that has slipped my mind. The one thing that I didn't like was that there is less curry given to you in the to-go container because the tofu and veggies are in curry instead of being on top of the rice.
3. Spicy beef noodle - very tasty but beware of the greasy and upset stomach you may get after. I got the "normal" spicy which was pretty spicy for me. Each bite I took was delicious but the aftermath didn't feel so nice. If you've ever had boiling crab...that is what it felt like after. Too much grease and spice.
Overall, a great Japanese curry place. It doesn't get 5 stars because I feel that it is a bit overpriced for what it has to offer. Also, it's a small place that doesn't provide much room to sit down and enjoy your curry. Japanese curry isn't super smelly...but you can def smell it in the office. -
Review from Aditi R.
12/19/2011
Long lines, tiny space, efficient sweet man in the front that keeps the line moving, and super tasty katsu curry. It makes for a delicious lunch experience and makes me wish I was in SF instead of Oakland during the day.
I got the hot chicken katsu curry and it is a ton of food for lunch. You have to be pretty hungry to finish it all in one sitting. Pair with their breaded (curried) pan. So so good. The entire order came out to about $13. A little on the pricier side for lunch, but well worth it since you can save up half of it for dinner as well. And of course worth it, because it tastes so great.
They also have a pretty nice collection of asian drinks. The best part is that for a small space with the kind of foot traffic they get, they keep the line moving at all times. For the most efficient use of time however, call ahead and get it for pick up. Otherwise it will take around 10-15 minutes to get your order. -
Review from Emily M.
12/16/2011
A friend who works at Yelp brought me to Muracci's. Great pork katsu curry, but the medium hot isn't all that hot, next time I would get it "hot". It was a good sized serving, at least for me, so I saved the leftovers for later.
There's a wait and there's hardly any space here to sit down, you need to find your own place somewhere to eat nearby. -
Review from Arjun K.
Ellicott City, MD
12/10/2011 1 Check-in Here
The food was good, but doesn't get me excited the way other people seem to be. Maybe I'm just not a fan of japanese-style curry, though I do like the fried meet and sauce idea.
Service and speed was great, people are very accomodating & efficient given the rush and tight space. -
Review from Ashley M.
San Jose, CA
12/19/2011
So simple, yet so delish!
Food: This has to be one of my favorite Japanese curry places! I always order the vegetable/tofu curry, spicy, with white rice, add an egg. It hits the spot every time I come here. The consistency is just right, the portion is a good size (kind of big, but never a bad thing!), and the food is always fresh and made to order. They also give you a little container of pickled cabbage and some pickled raddish served on top of your rice. They also give you your rice/meat separate from your curry, so you can decide how much curry to put on your rice. LOVE IT!
Ambiance: the place is VERY small, which is part of where it gets its charm :) The line is usually out the door by 11:45.. so it is always good to get here a little early, probably around 11:30 (especially if you want to get a seat). They have one table and about six-eight bar stools. The place is rather crowded, especially when people are waiting in line or waiting to get there food, so if you can't get a table seat, I would suggest taking the food to go and finding a nice spot outside somewhere.
Service: The works are always friendly and are super quick! The old man who maintains the people in line and takes their orders, is always fast and watches out for seating if you request you want to eat there.
Price: Great price for what you get!
Always a great spot to hit up during lunch time. I want to try and come here for catering sometime soon. -
Review from Shawn C.
San Francisco, CA
12/28/2011
This is it, guys. THIS is Japanese curry.
I've had: tonkatsu, chicken katsu, and the spicy noodles.
Their tonkatsu and chicken katsu are so crispy and perfect, I can't even tell you.
The spicy noodles are HOT. If you normally get hot curry, get mild noodles.
Thanks Muracci's. I can't eat Japanese curry anywhere else now. -
Review from Derek L.
Fremont, CA
12/15/2011 1 Check-in Here
I just started working in the finance district and there aren't too many choices for reasonable asian food (unless you hike all the way to Chinatown), but I read all the reviews here and it seemed pretty reasonable. Until.....I arrived there at noon, there was a line out the door! So expect a 25-35 min wait till you get your order.
Food
I got the simple curry chicken over rice and it was just ok. I had the spicy selection and it wasn't brutally hot. I didn't appreciate how there was only 3-4 small pieces of chicken and a splash of curry. The taste of the curry was good though overall.
Price
For 8ish, easily 10 if you get the fried selection, just OK in my books.
Atmosphere
Don't plan on sitting inside at this place! Might only fit 6-8 MAX. -
Review from Dina H.
San Francisco, CA
12/8/2011 1 Check-in Here
Chicken Katsu Curry with brown rice! Super tasty (slightly healthy with brown rice?)! Can get crowded at lunch, but they're pretty efficient.
Today they had some curry bread ... It was like a bread roll filled with curry, breaded and fried ... Bought it for $2.25 because I was hungry. If you plan on finishing your actual order, try not to impulsively purchase the goodies by the cash register. The curry bread was filling and I only ate a quarter of my chicken katsu curry!
Writing this had made me hungry ... might have to hike all the up to Kearney again for lunch tomorrow! -
Review from Johnny T.
11/3/2011 1 Check-in Here
If you haven't been eating Japanese curry for lunch, you are missing out. Period. Aloha Eats in Chicago tipped me off to the joys of the food. The wondrous Emi H in Honolulu advised me on how best to fit 11 servings into my big belly. Muracci's sealed the deal. Oh, Muracci's. I understand why your small storefront is forever lined to the gills with people. This isht is delicious!!
Know before you go: the place is small. You are the last person in SF to have heard about Muracci's, ergo there will be a line. A long one. But, because the Muracci's folks know what they're doing, they've devised an order/pay/receipt system that's nearly flawless. Step in line. Observe. Imitate. Don't f it up. Simple, right?
Also know: get the chicken katsu curry. Yes. This. If a place has 'curry' in its name and you don't order 'curry'... what am I doing even finishing that sentence? Get the curry. "But, Johnny T," you plead, "Chicken katsu is my jam." Of course it is. It's delicious. "Whatever do I do?" Get the curry *and* the katsu. See? See that? But, wait. I'm not done. Get the white rice, not the brown. You aren't eating a kale salad with sprouts for lunch, so don't act brand new when it comes to rice. Throw the pickles over everything and ask for the hot curry. Yes, the hot one. Medium has a nice flavor profile, but no real heat. Hot will add some serious depth to your food but it's not so hot that you'll be in pain.
Also also know: all this amazing food will be yours for less than $10. It's true. Seating is limited, but you're in SF. Odds are the weather will be decent enough for you to eat outside. Head over to YB, plop down on the ground, yell at some hippies to get a job & cut their hair, and settle in for a huge amount (your food bag will be heavy) of delicious delicious food.
Know this. -
Review from p C.
San Francisco, CA
1/31/2012
Definatley a fan , Mild curry veggie or tonkatsu is the say to go. And yes they have brown rice Yahh , perfect for lunch on a cold day will warm you and your bones upp. !!! a must !!! The meat is tender and never dry.
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Review from mary p.
Oakland, CA
11/28/2011
Having walked past this place a myriad of times, either not hungry or after it was closed; I finally made it in for lunch and had the katsu donburi and sampled the katsu pork curry.
There was a line out the door when we got there, but they took our order as we waited in line. By the time we made it to the register our orders were basically ready. The line didn't take longer than 10 minutes. The restaurant is quite intimate (microsized), with enough bar-level seating for about no more than 10 or such people. Very cute, reminded me of Tokyo.
The katsu donburi was quite yummy and totally hit the spot. I thought it was much more flavorful and homestyle than some of the other donburi I've had around SF. It had plenty of egg and onions with a well-balanced amount of soy. I thought it was a pretty hefty serving, and felt a little bummed that I couldn't manage to force it all in. I will definitely be coming back for more.
The curry was pretty good, if a little watery. Very well spiced and strong vegetal flavors, though I didn't think the hot was really all that hot. The pork was a bit overcooked but combined with enough curry sauce, it didn't matter much. My friend ordered this and I asked more than once for a taste.
There's a bunch of items on the menu that I'd like to try. I'll be back! -
Review from Agent schmully L.
Brooklyn, NY
10/7/2011
Is this jesus' curry?
I think so. -
Review from Justine L.
San Francisco, CA
10/14/2011 1 Check-in Here
Here's how I eat katsu curry:
1. Sprinkle pickled radish over rice.
2. Dip katsu piece in curry.
3. Eat.
4. Pour a spoon of curry over rice.
5. Eat.
6. Repeat steps 2-5.
Sure my way is OCD but at least it ensures every bite of katsu is crispy!
Muracci's is a tiny hole in the wall but since most people take their order to go, I've never had trouble grabbing a seat. They've got excellent katsu curry for about $9. Crispy panko crust and juicy tender meat. I usually get the pork but chicken is good too. You can choose your level of heat as well. I get it extra spicy. And of course since this is a health conscious city... you may choose between brown rice or white. Like the pickled radish? You can get a small side for 75 cents or a container for $2.50.
Oh and they have other cheap Japanese goodies as well like sushi rolls, croquettes and green tea cake rolls. Try it! -
Review from Sean W.
Brooklyn, NY
1/7/2012 1 Check-in Here
My friend and I visited this place on a Thursday at lunchtime, and the place was packed! There was barely enough room to shuffle around. Don't count on getting any places to sit during busy hours. We ended up bringing a the food to a nearby park to eat. I got the pork katsu curry, and it was everything I expected it to be. I was very satisfied!
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Review from Rose A.
The place is super small - only 4 counter seats along one wall, 5 counter seats along another wall & 1 table for 2.
Menu is pretty simple. Curry items include Beef, Chicken, Katsu, Chicken Katsu, Ebi, Salmon and Tofu over your choice of white or brown rice. You pick the spice level.
Other menu items include Green or Potato Salad, Donburi, Curry Noodle Soup and a few sushi items (California Roll, Cucumber Roll, Avoocado Roll & Inari).
The curry plates only come with pickled veggies. I wasn't aware that you have to add potatoes to the curry. You can also add eggs or spinach. I was missing the potatoes but the picked veggies were pretty good.
My Chicken Katsu was lightly breaded, crispy and moist. My husband had the Chicken Curry and loved it.
Service was fast and with a smile. = )
We plan on being return customers. -
Review from Jason M.
10/6/2011 1 Check-in Here
Whoa, really! This stuff is incredible. I got the Katsu Curry and it was the tastiest meals I've had for lunch in a long time. Delicious pork over a bed of rice and a bowl of hot curry... you betcha.
Only come here if you want to be completely satisfied for lunch. If you are in the mood for mediocre food this is not your spot. For how small of a place it is / how busy it is, they sure have figured out how to pump that stuff out at an incredible speed.
I've never had Japanese Curry before but this is the beginning of an era. Nom... nom.... nom. -
Review from Wu X.
San Francisco, CA
1/5/2012
I ate the katsu (pork cutlet) curry, and ordered it hot. It could have been just a tad hotter, but that's nitpicking. It was really good, and I will definitely eat here again. If I try another meal or two, and it's equally as good, I'd say five stars is within reach.
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Review from wendy h.
10/13/2011
I ordered the tonkatsu and a side of croquette (I love Japanese croquette - so delicious, so messy to make!). The tonkatsu was fried nicely - golden brown - and tastes yummy. Meal came with soup, salad (dressing on the side) and what looks like potato salad (not a fan of potato salad so I didn't touch it but I assume it's good).
Food doesn't look like it's as big as Tokyo Express' but it is filling. Croquette was good too. Evenly fried and there's corn inside. Yums... -
Review from Blake R.
Hercules, CA
11/10/2011
I hella love this place. I go whenever im in the area.
They make the best pork katsu curry ever.
It's a must try if and when your in the downtown area. -
Review from Susan W.
San Diego, CA
11/7/2011
Omg, yummy! Places like this make me lament the lack of some real good Japanese food in San Diego where we live. My husband and I were here on a weekend trip and found Muracci's on Yelp...even with all the cautions of a long line, the wait wasn't too bad when we were there around 12:30 on a Monday. My hubby and I have a pretty good team setup of one of us hawkishly targeting a table at small crowded restaurants while the other one orders and gets the drinks and stuff to the table, so we got seats at the counter no problem.
We had the pork katsu curry, extra spicy and the katsu don (pork katsu and onions with eggs). The pork katsu was crispy and delicious...fried to perfection! The accompanying curry was to my surprise actually, spicy! You don't really get a lot of spice in Japanese food so I was impressed at the depth of flavor and spice in this curry...made my nose run a little and but my stomach was very happy! My husband undoubtedly will order katsu don at Japanese restaurants because it's his comfort food...I think he's usually left with a feeling of longing/disappointment after eating katsu don but not here!...best one he's had (other than his mom's of course!) -
Review from pj n.
Mountain View, CA
10/27/2011
I've been meaning to try this but it's not open for dinner or on the weekends. I was finally in that area at lunchtime so I decided to give it a go. It's full of people during lunch but service is fast and the boss is very friendly. I wish I could rate it higher, but based on the food, I think maybe it might even be worth only 1 star. Sorry!
The only good thing is that they offer brown rice. And they make the curry from scratch. But it doesn't taste anything like japanese curry. It tastes more like indian curry. I had the spicy and it was watery (!). Maybe it's healthier than the regular thick ones but I value taste over health benefits :-(
Pork katsu was ok but not really better than what you can make at home yourself using panko. I won't be back. I prefer On the Bridge in Japantown for curry. -
Review from Chelsea A.
San Francisco, CA
9/15/2011 4 Check-ins Here
The first time I had Japanese curry as a little girl, I was blown away--what was this magical brown spicy savory sauce that tasted so good with white rice? Since then I never had a mind-blowing experience when I ate curry.
Until I found this place.
It was like eating curry again for the first time again.
This place is PACKED during lunch hour--avoid at all costs! But it's definitely a good sign how packed it is!
I usually get their veggie and tofu curry with cheese. (Don't knock it till you've tried it.) I like to eat it the way the ~Japanese~ do.
Muracci's curry is different from other curries because there's a certain richness and spiciness to it. I'm not a curry connoisseur in any way, but Muracci's curry is not like other Japanese curries. -
Review from Chrissy H.
San Francisco, CA
Way overrated--not worth going to. Had the weekly special spicy noodle, not great. I know my standards are high now that I had Momofuku, but this was not good. Would never order again.
Also tasted the Katsu curry--nothing special. What I did love though was the family aspect, it was very homey and intimate. Unfortunately the food was not great, would not go back again. -
Review from Jeanette S.
Berkeley, CA
8/19/2011
Muracci's is like a blast to the past. While sitting at the small stools by the window in this tiny store on Kearny, I felt as if I was part of a Japanese anime.
1. The setting.
It doesn't help that Muracci is located on the brink of Chinatown. Walking along this area of downtown is literally like travelling through time, or at least entering a portal to another country. You look to one side and you see shiny high rises and bankers in suits; you look to the other and you see shady red buildings and unsanitary fat pidgeons. (Actually, I guess the fat pidgeons are all over SF.)
2. The crowd.
The crowds of people walking into this store to order curry range from all sorts of ethnicities - Asian to American, brunettes to blondes. Now choose any anime. You will notice that although the setting is in some part of Japan, there is always one main character who isn't actually Japanese! (ex. Light from Death Note, Lelouche from Code Geass, Kawachi from Yakitate!! Japan. Unless they are all Japanese but dyed their hair...?)
3. The protagonist.
The Katsu Curry is probably the reason most people even come over to this place. Breaded and fried to a golden crisp yet perfectly juicy and not at all too oily. Topped with deliciously thick and spicy curry sauce. (except I do wish it were more spicy).
4. The archnemesis.
JapaCurry Truck, located only several blocks away. They must be at war, battling to see who can dominate the market share of katsu-curry craving customers. They even have the same to-go boxes! But I guess JapaCurry one-ups Muracci's with its Frequent Buyer's Card deal (get a free curry with every 12th stamp!), but Muracci's has a secret weapon -- their brown rice option at no extra charge1 (I think Japacurry is an extra $0.50). So really, you make up that free curry option with all that brown rice you're getting.
So who do you think will win the battle?Listed in: FiDi Lunch!
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Review from Lisa L.
Miami, FL
12/27/2011
Very good authentic Japanese style curry!
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Review from Ashley H.
Fresno, CA
9/28/2011
We were at the Omni. We were hungry. We wanted something local.
YAY CURRY!
This place is the tiniest restaurant I've been in. I've seen closets bigger than this place. That being said, it gives credit to the saying, "Dynamite comes in small packages."
This tiny place has a big kick. The food was awesome and reasonably priced.
AN ENTIRE STAR simply because we ate curry and it didn't jack up our stomachs at all. I have to admit - I thought I'd pay for it, but I didn't.
Go. Hurry! Don't get stuck in the doorway. -
Review from Lisette P.
San Francisco, CA
10/20/2011
Stumbled upon this today while looking for inspiration on what to eat for lunch.
The line says it all - yummy, convenient, fresh! -
Review from Joe M.
8/4/2011 1 Check-in Here
After being bookmarked for a while, I finally got the chance to try Muracci's. Knowing that getting to the FiDi from China Basin during lunch hour can eat up a good amount of time, my coworker and I planned ahead and left early enough to beat most of the lunch traffic. Good thing we did too: get to Muracci's in 10 minutes or less? Check. Get parking right in front? Check. No line, no lunch crowd? Barely checked. I'd say 2 minutes after we got there, the line started to form and it formed pretty fast. (Btw, there isn't really any place to eat inside and it was always our intention to go back to work and eat, so parking right out front in the metered truck loading area was ok. Err...not legal, but okay for a few minutes I guess.)
Anyways, on to the food. I went with the chicken katsu curry with vegetables as an extra topping. Overall, it was just okay. The chicken and the flavoring were there, but nothing really stood out. I may have had my expectations high after reading some other reviews, but really, the curry sauce was too thin for me. I like it thick, and I've read some people say that it is thick at Muracci's. Maybe I caught them on an off day? Either way, I felt let down since I had been waiting to try this place for a few months. Like having a long day at work and getting a watered-down rum and coke at happy hour. Although, I must say that I did inhale the entire plate and I was sufficiently sleepy for the rest of the afternoon. So it wasn't bad....it just didn't meet my expectations. I still hold JapaCurry as the standard, but Muracci's will do in a pinch. -
Review from July H.
San Francisco, CA
9/27/2011
Croquettes are out of this world and compared to empanadas which costs $4.75, these little babies are only $1.75. They have four flavors - Vegetable, Vegetable Hot, Beef & Vegetable, and Beef & Vegetable Hot. I usually always get the Hot, sometimes veggie and sometimes beef & veg. Both are really good and somehow I think the curry sauce they use in these croquettes are more flavorful than the ones in their usual dishes.
Their katsu curries are huge portions, but their noodles are just right for me. I also like that there are more curry sauce in the noodles. I wish that their rice curries have that much sauce as well without paying extra. You can get the curries, mild, medium, or hot. You can also add toppings such as veggies, spinach, eggs, etc. For the health conscious, there is also brown rice option.
If you are really early/late or by yourself, you probably can eat in here. There are counter seats for maybe about 8 people and one table for two. It gets really hot in there though.
If you dont want to wait, get their express curry meal. Only difference is that no deep fried stuff, just stewed meat and veggies - which is good too actually.
They also have a weekly specials that's limited to only 15 servings everyday. This week, it is spicy beeef noodle - very spicy!
