10 Best Tonkatsu Restaurants to Visit in Tokyo Discover Oishii Japan -SAVOR JAPAN -Japanese Restaurant Guide-

Update-date: Oct 22 2024

Author: SAVOR JAPAN

10 Best Tonkatsu Restaurants to Visit in Tokyo

Of the wide range of meat dishes in Japan, tonkatsu (fried pork cutlet) is one of the most popular items, along with yakiniku (Japanese BBQ). The most common tonkatsu is pork deep fried in a batter of breadcrumbs and enjoyed with a sauce. The way the meat is cut and the sauces offered may differ by restaurant, so you can enjoy the variety. This article introduces ten select tonkatsu restaurants in Tokyo that are not to be missed!

See full listings of Tonkatsu restaurants found in and around Tokyo.

1. Tonkatsu Kokomade Yaruka

Kokomade Yaruka, opened as a sibling to the popular Italian restaurant malca, is the brainchild of Tonkatsu enthusiast Tsukasa Kitano. He envisioned a Tonkatsu restaurant serving hot sauce, offering separate cabbage dishes, and providing alcohol pairings. The restaurant meticulously chooses everything from the pork, sauce, cabbage, and rice. It also serves fried seasonal seafood and vegetables. With a wide range of alcoholic beverages, guests are sure to exclaim, "It's doing so well! (Kokomade Yaruka)"

Tonkatsu Kokomade Yaruka

Open: [Weekdays, Saturday, National Holidays] Lunch 11:00 am - 3:00 pm (L.O. 2:30 pm), [Weekdays, Saturday, National Holidays, Day Before National Holidays] Dinner 6:00 pm - 10:00 pm (L.O. 9:00 pm)
Closed: Sunday
Average price: [Dinner] 7,999 JPY / [Lunch] 3,999 JPY
Access: 5 minutes walk from Exit 1 of Gaiemmae Station on the Tokyo Metro Ginza Line / 12 minutes walk from Omotesando Station on the Tokyo Metro Hanzomon Line
Address: Central Aoyama No6-BA, 3-2-4, Minami-Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo Map
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2. Kimukatsu Ebisu Branch

Kimukatsu offers a unique millefeuille cutlet, made by layering 25 sheets of thinly sliced pork and frying them to create a juicy, tender texture. Guests can choose their favorite flavors from the menu. The cutlets pair well with rice sets or alcoholic beverages. The rice is freshly cooked and served in an Ohitsu (wooden container). For those wanting variety, the "Beef, Pork & Chicken Assorted Set Meal" is recommended. The restaurant’s calm, stylish atmosphere is perfect for client dinners, family gatherings, and couples.

Kimukatsu Ebisu Branch

Open: [Weekdays, Saturday, Sunday, National Holidays] Lunch 11:00 am - 3:00 pm (L.O. 2:30 pm) / [Monday - Saturday] Dinner 5:00 pm - 11:00 pm (L.O. 10:00 pm) / [Sunday, National Holidays] Dinner 5:00 pm - 10:00 pm (L.O. 9:00 pm)
Closed: None
Average price: [Dinner] 2,500 JPY / [Lunch] 1,500 JPY
Access: 4-minute walk from the East Exit of Ebisu Station
Address: 4-9-5, Ebisu, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Map

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3. Ponta Honke (Okachimachi)

10 Tonkatsu Restaurants Not to Miss in Tokyo

Ponta Honke, which opened in 1905, is the originator of cutlets in Japan. Open the stately door that tells of its long history and enter a restaurant with a calm and comforting atmosphere. The restaurant's founder, who was a chef at the Imperial Household Agency, created the outstanding Milanese style [Cutlet] (2,700 JPY) that's cooked like tempura. The carefully selected pork loin is trimmed of fat and sinew so that it cooks evenly at a low temperature. The fat that has been removed is used as lard in which the cutlet is cooked. The [Cutlet] is a great dish to enjoy the aroma of lard and the flavor of the lean meat.

Ponta Honke

Open: [Tuesday - Saturday] Lunch 11:00 am - 2:00 pm (L.O. 1:45 pm) / Dinner 4:30 pm - 8:00 pm (L.O. 7:45 pm) [Sunday, National Holidays] Lunch 11:00 am - 2:00 pm (L.O. 1:45 pm) / Dinner 4:00 pm - 8:00 pm (L.O. 7:45 pm)
Closed: Monday
Average price: [Dinner] 4,000 JPY / [Lunch] 4,000 JPY
Access: 2 minutes walk from the south exit of Okachimachi Station on JR Yamanote Line / Keihin Tohoku Line
Address: 3-23-3, Ueno, Taito-ku, Tokyo (Map)
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4. Sugita (Kuramae)

Sugita is a famous downtown restaurant in Tokyo that's dedicated to serving authentic tonkatsu. The restaurant has a casual feel to it with seats by a solid wood counter as well as tatami seating. The tonkatsu is made with domestic pork that has been carefully prepared and bread from a local bakery. The high-grade lard, taken from the Netherlands, is heated in two pots, one at a low temperature and the other at a high temperature, and the cutlet cooked alternately in each to bring out its flavor and achieve a sophisticated taste. The [Pork Loin Cutlet] (2,100 JPY), which is distinguished by its light fat that melts in the mouth, is their most popular dish.

Sugita

Open: [Monday - Wednesday, Friday - Sunday, National Holidays, Day before National Holidays] Lunch 11:30 am - 2:00 pm (L.O. 1:45 pm) / Dinner 5:00 pm - 8:30 pm (L.O. 8:15 pm)
Closed: Thursday
Average price: [Dinner] 3,000 JPY / [Lunch] 3,000 JPY
Access: 2 minutes walk from Exit A5 of Kuramae Station on Toei Subway Oedo Line / Asakusa Line
Address: 3-8-3, Kotobuki, Taito-ku, Tokyo (Map)
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5. Kinka Pork Cooking Hirata Farm Kiwami (Marunouchi)

Kinka Pork Cooking Hirata Farm Kiwami is a restaurant where you can savor the rare Kinkaton pork. The restaurant is decorated in a modern Japanese style with light shining through large windows with views of the Tokyo Station building from tables and private rooms. Kinkaton pork is a rare kind of pork fed on a proprietary feed that includes rice. It is distinguished by a soft texture and natural sweetness. [Thick-sliced Kinka Pork Loin Cutlet (150g)] (2,300 JPY) has been a popular menu item since the restaurant opened and is an outstanding dish with the sweetness of the finely grained meat matching perfectly with the crunchy batter exterior.

Kinka Pork Cooking Hirata Farm Kiwami

Open: Lunch 11:00 am - 3:00 pm (L.O. 2:30 pm) / Dinner 5:00 pm - 10:00 pm (L.O. 9:00 pm)
Closed: None
Average price: [Dinner] 5,500 JPY / [Lunch] 2,500 JPY
Access: It is located on the 6th floor of KITTE, 1-minute walk from the Marunouchi South Exit of Tokyo Station
Address: 6F, JP Tower, 2-7-2, Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo (Map)
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6. Tonkatsu Kenshin

Tonkatsu Kenshin is renowned for its signature white Tonkatsu, made from premium local pork. Many visitors are drawn by the enticing photos on social media. The owner recommends the "Hire Katsu set meal", where lean meat is cooked at low temperatures to concentrate the flavor, which intensifies with each bite. Upgrade your meal by adding special "Shrimp Fry" or "Menchi Katsu" from the a la carte menu. The restaurant provides a calm atmosphere centered around the counter, with tables suitable for groups. This specialty shop satisfies both your stomach and heart with delicious Tonkatsu, providing a power charge for your day.

Tonkatsu Kenshin

Open: [Sunday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Friday,Saturday] Dinner 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm (last order 8:00 pm) / Lunch 11:00 am - 2:00 pm (last order 2:00 pm)
Closed: Closed even on national holidays. There are consecutive holidays during the summer vacation and year-end and New Year holidays.
Average price: [Dinner] 3,000 JPY / [Lunch] 2,000 JPY
Access: 4-minute walk from [Shijo-mae station] on Yurikamome
Address: Map
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7. Shabu Sabou

Shabu Sabou offers a variety of dishes using the highly acclaimed Artisan of the East SPF Pork, bred only in select farms and known for its quality meat and sweet fat. Their signature "Shabu-shabu" lets you enjoy both belly and shoulder loin cuts. A quick dip in the hot pot brings out the rich flavor of the pork, with its tender texture being exceptional. Other popular dishes include "Tonkatsu," where the bursting flavor is encased in crispy breading, and perfectly cooked "Pork Steak." The restaurant has a warm ambiance with abundant use of wood, offering comfortable counter seats for solo diners and tables for families and friends.

Shabu Sabou

Open: [Sunday,Saturday,Holidays] 3:00 pm - 4:00 am[Weekday] Dinner 7:00 pm - 4:00 am / Lunch 12:00 pm - 3:00 pm (last order 2:30 pm)Other 6:00 am - 10:00 am (last order 9:30 am)
Closed: None
Average price: [Dinner] 4,000 JPY / [Lunch] 1,000 JPY
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8. Tonkatsu Muneta (Ikenoue)

Tonkatsu Muneta is a place to enjoy outstanding tonkatsu at reasonable prices. Decorated in tones of orange, the restaurant has a welcoming feel to it and has both counter and table seating. The recommended menu items are [Superior Pork Loin Cutlet Set] (1,680 JPY), a thick and rare cut of pork loin that is soft and juicy, and [Superior Pork Fillet Set] (1,580 JPY), a light dish that uses just the softest part of pork fillet. You can get unlimited servings of rice and cabbage in these set meals.

Tonkatsu Muneta

Open: [Monday / Tuesday / Thursday-Sunday / Public holiday / Pre-holiday] Lunch 11:00-15:00 (last order 14:30) / Dinner 17:00-22:00 (last order 21:30)
Closed: None
Average price: [Lunch] 900 JPY
Access: 2 minutes' walk from the post office-side exit of Ikenoue Station on the Keio Inokashira Line, on the 1st floor of the Mimasu Building
Address: Saneki Bldg. 1F-105, 2-37-15 Daizawa, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo (Map)
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9. Agezuki (Iidabashi)

Agezuki prides itself in serving the "ultimate" tonkatsu made with Minaminoshima pork. It is a popular restaurant in the basement level of a building located on a busy commercial district filled with multi-tenant buildings. The pork served here is Minaminoshima pork, a rare brand that can only be enjoyed at a handful of high-end restaurants. The pork is carefully trimmed of fat, then deep fried for more than 20 minutes in a blend of high-grade lard. Their [Special Pork Loin Cutlet] (2,150 JPY (excl. tax)), which has an excellent fat and aroma, and [Special Pork Fillet Cutlet] (2,680 JPY (excl. tax)), made with the best cut of Minaminoshima pork, are outstanding.

Agezuki

Open: [Monday, Wednesday - Sunday, National Holidays] Lunch 11:30 am - 3:00 pm (L.O. 2:30 pm) / [Monday, Wednesday - Friday] Dinner 6:00 pm - 10:30 pm (L.O. 10:00 pm) / [Saturday] Dinner 5:30 pm - 10:30 pm (L.O. 10:00 pm) / [Sunday, National Holidays] Dinner 5:30 pm - 9:00 pm (L.O. 8:30 pm)
Closed: Tuesday
Average price: [Dinner] 3,000 JPY / [Lunch] 2,000 JPY
Access: 5 minutes walk from B3 Exit of Iidabashi Station on Tokyo Metro Yurakucho Line / Nanboku Line
Address: B1F, Yamanouchi Bldg., 3-2, Kagurazaka, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo (Map)
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10. Narikura (Minami Asagaya)

Narikura is known for its quality tonkatsu that is patiently cooked at a very low temperature. The stylish and airy restaurant has counter and table seating. The Kirifurikogen pork that they use for their tonkatsu is covered in specially ordered breadcrumbs and deep fried in a rare kind of fat known as "caul fat" for 15 minutes before being further cooked in residual heat for five minutes. Cooked with care for over 20 minutes, the resulting tonkatsu is an outstanding dish with a crunchy texture and delicious flavor that just melts in the mouth. Their [Set Meal with 3 Pieces of Kirifurikogen Pork Cutlet Using a Chateaubriand Cut (200g)] (2,950 JPY (incl. tax)) is recommended.

Narikura

Open: [Monday - Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, National Holidays, Day before National Holidays] Lunch 11:00 am - (L.O. 2:00 pm) / Dinner 5:30 pm - (L.O. 9:00 pm) *Reservation is not accepted for lunch nor dinner.
Closed: Thursday, Sunday
Average price: [Dinner] 3,000 JPY / [Lunch] 3,000 JPY
Access: 3 minutes walk from Takadanobaba Station on JR Yamanote Line / Seibu Shinjuku Line / Tokyo Metro Tozai Line
Address: B1F, Ozawa Bldg., 1-32-11, Takadanobaba, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo (Map)
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Disclaimer: All information is accurate at time of publication.