If you have ever ordered Katsu Chicken from Mo’ Bettahs, you probably remember the sauce as much as the crispy chicken.
The katsu sauce mo bettahs serves is thick, sweet, tangy, savory, and slightly smoky. It is not the same as the restaurant’s teriyaki sauce. Mo’ Bettahs describes its Katsu Sauce as a Hawaiian-style BBQ sauce made to pair with Katsu Chicken, while its Teri Sauce is a separate sweet-and-savory sauce.
I wanted a homemade version that behaved like the sauce I was trying to recreate: easy to mix, bold enough for crispy chicken, and not so thin that it runs all over the plate.
The result is a simple copycat-style sauce that works especially well with chicken katsu, rice, fries, sandwiches, and even roasted vegetables.
Important: This is a homemade copycat recipe, not an official Mo’ Bettahs recipe. The ingredient proportions are adapted from publicly discussed information and adjusted into a practical home-sized batch. The restaurant’s exact commercial formula is not published on its current menu.
What Is the Katsu Sauce at Mo Bettahs?
The Katsu Sauce at Mo Bettahs is a Hawaiian-style BBQ sauce served with its Katsu Chicken.
It has a thicker, richer profile than a simple dipping sauce. The combination of tomato sweetness, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, sugar, and a little hot sauce gives the homemade version its familiar sweet-tangy character.
Mo’ Bettahs currently lists Katsu Sauce as one of its four main sauce choices alongside Teriyaki Sauce, Yeobo Sauce, and Spicy Mayo Sauce.
That distinction matters because Katsu Sauce is not simply another name for teriyaki.
What Does Mo Bettahs Katsu Sauce Taste Like?
The first thing you notice is the sweetness.
Then comes the tang from Worcestershire sauce, followed by a deeper savory flavor from soy sauce. A small amount of hot sauce gives it a mild background kick rather than turning it into a spicy sauce.
The texture should be thick enough to cling to crispy chicken.
That is the part I would not skip when making this at home. A watery sauce can taste fine, but it does not give you the same experience when spooned over crunchy katsu.
Mo Bettahs Katsu Sauce Ingredients
For a practical home batch, I use:
- Ketchup
- Worcestershire sauce
- Soy sauce
- Granulated sugar
- Tabasco or another mild hot sauce
That combination is based on a publicly shared recipe claim in a Reddit discussion about Mo’ Bettahs Katsu Sauce. The original post lists ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, Aloha Shoyu soy sauce, sugar, and Tabasco in a large restaurant-style batch.
I scaled the idea down substantially for a home kitchen rather than asking anyone to make a commercial-size quantity.
Why each ingredient matters
Ketchup provides the tomato base, sweetness, color, and body.
Worcestershire sauce gives the sauce its darker savory-tangy character.
Soy sauce adds salt and umami.
Sugar rounds out the sharper flavors and creates the sweet BBQ-style profile.
Tabasco adds acidity and a little heat. You can reduce it if you want a milder sauce.
How to Make Katsu Sauce Mo Bettahs Style
The nice thing about this sauce is that there is no complicated cooking technique.
Add the ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, sugar, and hot sauce to a small saucepan.
Whisk everything together before turning on the heat. This helps the sugar distribute instead of sitting at the bottom.
Warm the mixture over low to medium-low heat.
You are not trying to boil it aggressively. You simply want the ingredients to come together and the sugar to dissolve.
Stir for about 5 minutes.
Then taste it.
If it feels too sweet, add a tiny splash of Worcestershire sauce. If the flavor is too sharp, give it another minute of gentle heating. If you want more heat, add a few extra drops of hot sauce.
Let the sauce cool before serving.
It will become a little thicker as it cools, which is exactly what you want for dipping or drizzling over crispy chicken.
My Tip for Getting the Texture Right
Do not try to make the sauce extremely thick on the stove.
It is tempting to keep reducing it because it looks thinner when hot. But once cooled, the texture changes.
I prefer to stop when the sauce coats the back of a spoon but still moves easily.
After cooling, it should be thick enough to cling to Katsu Chicken without becoming paste-like.
If your batch becomes too thick, stir in a teaspoon of water at a time until it loosens.
How to Serve It
The obvious pairing is crispy chicken katsu.
But you can use this sauce in several ways:
- Dip crispy chicken into it
- Drizzle it over Katsu Chicken
- Serve it with steamed rice
- Use it as a dipping sauce for fries
- Add it to chicken sandwiches
- Brush a small amount over grilled chicken
- Serve it with roasted vegetables
For a plate inspired by Mo’ Bettahs, serve crispy chicken with white rice and macaroni salad.
The restaurant itself describes its plate lunch as a combination of protein, rice, and sides, with Katsu Chicken among the protein choices.
Katsu Sauce vs. Mo Bettahs Teriyaki Sauce
These two sauces are easy to confuse if you have not tried both.
They are different.
Mo’ Bettahs describes its Teriyaki Sauce as a sweet and savory signature sauce, while Katsu Sauce is specifically described as a Hawaiian-style BBQ sauce paired with Katsu Chicken.
| Feature | Katsu Sauce | Teri Sauce |
|---|---|---|
| Main profile | Sweet, tangy BBQ-style | Sweet and savory |
| Best-known pairing | Katsu Chicken | Teriyaki Chicken and steak |
| Texture | Thick and clingy | More pourable |
| Tomato base | Yes, in this copycat | Not the defining base |
| Heat | Mild background heat | Typically not the focus |
So if you are looking for a Mo Bettahs teriyaki sauce recipe, do not simply use the Katsu Sauce recipe and expect the same result.
The restaurant treats them as separate sauces.
What About the Mo Bettahs Teriyaki Sauce Recipe?
The official Mo’ Bettahs store currently sells its Original Teri Sauce as a bottled product. The company describes it as its signature teriyaki-style sauce and says it can be used for marinating beef, pork, and chicken, stir-fries, or as a finishing sauce.
That is useful if you specifically want the restaurant’s Teri Sauce rather than a homemade approximation.
The Katsu Sauce, however, has a different flavor direction, so I would keep the two recipes separate.
Can You Buy Mo Bettahs Sauce?
Yes, but availability differs by sauce.
Mo’ Bettahs currently sells its Original Teri Sauce through its online shop.
The restaurant’s current menu confirms that Katsu Sauce is served at its locations, but the online shop page I found does not establish that bottled Katsu Sauce is currently sold there.
So if you search for katsu sauce mo bettahs where to buy, check the restaurant or official store first rather than assuming every sauce is available in bottles.
Can You Make the Sauce Less Sweet?
Absolutely.
The easiest adjustment is reducing the sugar slightly rather than changing the entire recipe.
I would make a small batch first, taste it after cooling, and then adjust.
For more tang, add a little Worcestershire sauce.
For more heat, add Tabasco gradually.
For a milder sauce, reduce the hot sauce.
Making small changes is much easier than trying to rescue a large batch.
What Makes This Copycat Recipe Work?
The key is balance.
Ketchup brings sweetness and acidity.
Worcestershire gives depth.
Soy sauce brings savory saltiness.
Sugar smooths everything out.
Hot sauce adds just enough sharpness to stop the sauce from tasting flat.
None of those ingredients needs to dominate.
That is why I recommend tasting after the sauce has cooled slightly. A hot sauce can taste sharper and thinner than it will once it reaches serving temperature.
Other Mo Bettahs Sauces
If you like the sauce selection at Mo’ Bettahs, there are several flavors worth knowing.
The current official menu lists:
- Katsu Sauce — Hawaiian-style BBQ sauce
- Teriyaki Sauce — sweet and savory
- Yeobo Sauce — spicy teriyaki with a sweet and tangy profile
- Spicy Mayo Sauce — creamy, savory, tangy, and mildly spicy
The nutrition page also lists separate nutrition and allergen information for these sauces, so anyone managing food allergies should check the current official information before ordering.
Is Yeobo Sauce the Same as Katsu Sauce?
No.
Mo’ Bettahs describes Yeobo Sauce as a spicy teriyaki sauce with sweet and tangy notes and some heat. Katsu Sauce is described separately as its Hawaiian-style BBQ sauce.
That makes Yeobo closer to the restaurant’s teriyaki family, while Katsu Sauce has the thicker BBQ-style profile.
A Little Background on Mo’ Bettahs
Mo’ Bettahs was founded in 2008 by brothers Kimo and Kalani Mack, who grew up in Oahu and opened the original restaurant in Bountiful, Utah. The company says the concept was inspired by the Hawaiian food and family gatherings they knew growing up.
The business has since expanded well beyond its original Utah location. In 2024, Blue Marlin Partners and Trive Capital acquired a majority stake, while Savory Fund retained a minority stake.
Is Mo Bettahs a Mormon Company?
Mo’ Bettahs was founded in Utah and grew there, but its official company history identifies Kimo and Kalani Mack as its founders and describes the restaurant around Hawaiian food, family, and island culture. The ownership information available today also includes outside investment firms.
There is not enough reliable evidence in the sources reviewed here to characterize Mo’ Bettahs as a Mormon-owned company.
Katsu Sauce Mo Bettahs
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Combine the ingredients: Add ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, granulated sugar, and Tabasco sauce to a small saucepan.
- Whisk until smooth: Stir everything together until the sugar is evenly distributed and the mixture looks smooth.
- Warm gently: Place the saucepan over low to medium-low heat and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Avoid a hard boil: Keep the heat gentle rather than aggressively boiling the sauce. The goal is to bring the flavors together without reducing it too far.
- Check the consistency: Dip a spoon into the sauce. It should coat the spoon lightly and still pour easily.
- Taste and adjust: Add a little more Tabasco for heat or a small splash of Worcestershire sauce for extra tang if needed.
- Cool before serving: Remove the sauce from the heat and let it cool for several minutes. It will become slightly thicker as it cools.
- Serve with chicken: Spoon or dip the sauce with crispy chicken katsu, or serve it alongside rice, fries, sandwiches, or grilled chicken.
Notes
Recipe Notes
- This is a homemade katsu sauce mo bettahs copycat, not the restaurant’s published proprietary formula.
- Start with a small amount of hot sauce if you prefer a milder sauce.
- Do not over-reduce the sauce because it thickens further as it cools.
- If the sauce becomes too thick, whisk in a teaspoon of water at a time.
- For a stronger tang, add a very small amount of Worcestershire sauce after cooking.
- For the best texture, let the sauce cool slightly before deciding whether it needs adjustment.
Serving Ideas
Serve this Katsu Sauce with:- Crispy chicken katsu
- White or jasmine rice
- French fries
- Chicken sandwiches
- Grilled chicken
- Rice bowls
- Roasted vegetables
Storage
Let the sauce cool completely, then transfer it to a clean airtight container and refrigerate. For best quality, use the homemade sauce within about one week and discard it if its smell, appearance, or texture changes.FAQ
What is the katsu sauce at Mo Bettahs?
It is Mo’ Bettahs’ Hawaiian-style BBQ sauce served with Katsu Chicken.
What is katsu sauce made of?
This copycat uses ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, sugar, and Tabasco.
Is Mo Bettahs a Mormon company?
Mo’ Bettahs was founded in Utah, but the available company history does not establish it as a Mormon-owned company.
What kind of sauce do Mo Bettahs have?
The current menu lists Teriyaki, Yeobo, Katsu, and Spicy Mayo sauces.
Where can I buy Katsu Sauce Mo Bettahs?
Mo’ Bettahs serves Katsu Sauce at its restaurants, while its online shop currently lists Original Teri Sauce rather than confirming bottled Katsu Sauce.
Is Mo Bettahs Katsu Sauce spicy?
It has a mild kick in this copycat from the hot sauce rather than being strongly spicy.
Is Katsu Sauce the same as Mo Bettahs Teriyaki Sauce?
No, Mo’ Bettahs describes Katsu Sauce as Hawaiian-style BBQ and Teri Sauce as sweet and savory.
What is Yeobo Sauce at Mo Bettahs?
Yeobo is the restaurant’s spicy teriyaki sauce with sweet and tangy notes
Final Thoughts
If you are craving the sweet, tangy sauce served with Mo’ Bettahs Katsu Chicken, this homemade katsu sauce mo bettahs copycat is a practical place to start.
The recipe is quick, uses ordinary grocery-store ingredients, and does not require a blender or complicated cooking technique.
For the closest experience, serve it with crispy chicken, steamed white rice, and a creamy macaroni salad.
And if what you really want is the restaurant’s teriyaki flavor, keep that separate—the Mo Bettahs teriyaki sauce recipe is a different direction from this Katsu Sauce.
The biggest trick is simple: make a small batch, taste it after cooling, and adjust the sweetness or heat to your liking.