10 Best Tonkatsu Restaurants to Visit in Tokyo

Update-date: Nov 08 2023
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!

1. Ponta Honke (Okachimachi)

1. 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)
More Details   Reservation   

2. Sugita (Kuramae)

2. Sugita (Kuramae)
10 Tonkatsu Restaurants Not to Miss in Tokyo
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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3. Tonkatsu Muneta (Ikenoue)

6. Tonkatsu Muneta (Ikenoue)
10 Tonkatsu Restaurants Not to Miss in Tokyo
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)
More Details   Reservation   

4. Tonkatsu Wako

3. Tonkatsu Wako
10 Tonkatsu Restaurants Not to Miss in Tokyo
Tonkatsu Wako is a restaurant where you can enjoy authentic tonkatsu in a great location directly connected to Shinjuku Station. It is on the 12th floor of Odakyu Department Store and there are panoramic views of Shinjuku from the seats by the window. At Tonkatsu Wako, you can enjoy branded pork, such as Oirase Garlic Pork, which is fed on garlic and famed for its aroma and texture, as well as Akita Towadako Kogen Momobuta pork, known for its soft texture and mild aroma. The recommended menu item is [Pork Loin Cutlet Set with Aomori Oirase Garlic Pork] (1,930 JPY (incl. tax)).

Tonkatsu Wako

Open: 11:00 am - 10:00 pm (Lunch L.O. 4:00 pm, Dinner L.O. 9:15 pm)
Closed: None
Average price: [Dinner] 2,000 JPY / [Lunch] 1,500 JPY
Access: Located directly at [Shinjuku Station] West Gate, in the Odakyu Department Store 12th floor Restaurant Town, Manhattan Hills.
Address: 12F, Odakyu Department Store, 1-1-3, Nishi Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo

5. Hirata Bokujo Coredo Nihombashi Branch (Nihonbashi)

4. Hirata Bokujo Coredo Nihombashi Branch (Nihonbashi)
10 Tonkatsu Restaurants Not to Miss in Tokyo
At Hirata Bokujo Coredo Nihonbashi Branch, you can enjoy tonkatsu made with the restaurant's original brand pork. The restaurant is decorated in a modern Japanese style and has counter and table seating with views of the city. It serves tonkatsu made with Hiraboku Sangenton pork, a hybrid of three different pigs, and Hiraboku Kinkaton pork, a top-grade brand distinguished by a fine texture and sweet fat. The recommended menu item is the top-quality [Set Meal with Hiraboku Kinkaton Pork Loin Cutlet] (2,000 JPY (excl. tax)).

Hirata Bokujo Coredo Nihombashi branch

Open: [Weekdays] Lunch 11:00 am - 3:00 pm / Dinner 5:00 pm - 11:00 pm [Saturday, Sunday, National Holidays] Lunch 11:00 am - 3:00 pm / Dinner 5:00 pm - 10:00 pm *December 31: open only during lunch time / January 2-3: 11:00 am - 9:00 pm (L.O. 8:00 pm) 
Closed: Irregular
Average price: [Dinner] 5,000 JPY / [Lunch] 1,500 JPY
Access: 1 minute walk from exit B12 of [Nihombashi Station] on Ginza Line
Address: 4F, Coredo Nihombashi, 1-4-1 Nihombashi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo

6. Kinka Pork Cooking Hirata Farm Kiwami (Marunouchi)

5. Kinka Pork Cooking Hirata Farm Kiwami (Marunouchi)
10 Tonkatsu Restaurants Not to Miss in Tokyo
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 - 15:00 [Weekdays/Saturday/Before Holidays] Dinner: 17:00 - 23:00 [Sunday/Holidays] Dinner: 17:00 - 22:00
Closed: None
Average price: [Dinner] 7,000 JPY / [Lunch] 2,500 JPY
Access: 1-minute walk from Tokyo Station Marunouchi South Exit on the sixth floor of KITTE.
Address: 6F JP Tower, 2-7-2 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo (Map)
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7. Nomotoya (Daimon)

7. Nomotoya (Daimon)
10 Tonkatsu Restaurants Not to Miss in Tokyo
Nomotoya is a restaurant that often has lines out the door for its Kagoshima Roppaku-kuro pork cooked by experienced chefs. The restaurant has counter and table seating and has jazz music playing in the background. Excess fat is taken off the pork, which is then deep fried to crispy perfection in a blend of two types of oil. Their [Special Selected and Thickly Cut Pork Loin Cutlet Set Meal] (2,500 JPY (2,600 JPY at night)) that is patiently fried for over 20 minutes is an outstanding dish that is worth lining up for. It can be enjoyed as you like with a homemade sauce, rock salt, or sweet soy sauce from Kagoshima combined with wasabi made from the stalks of wasabi plants.

Nomotoya

Open: [Weekdays, Saturday, Day before National Holidays] Lunch 11:30 am - 2:30 pm (L.O. 2:00 pm) / [Weekdays, Day before National Holidays] Dinner 5:30 pm - 8:30 pm (L.O. 8:00 pm) *Available while supplies last on a first come, first serve basis for lunch or dinner
Closed: Sunday, National Holidays
Average price: [Dinner] 2,300 JPY / [Lunch] 1,500 JPY
Access: 3 minutes walk from A6 Exit of Daimon Station on Toei Asakusa Line / Oedo Line
Address: 2F, Tamagawa Bldg., 2-3-7, Shibakoen, Minato-ku, Tokyo

8. Agezuki (Iidabashi)

8. Agezuki (Iidabashi)
10 Tonkatsu Restaurants Not to Miss in Tokyo
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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9. Narikura (Minami Asagaya)

9. Narikura (Minami Asagaya)
10 Tonkatsu Restaurants Not to Miss in Tokyo
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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10. Ginza Katsukami (Ginza)

10. Ginza Katsukami (Ginza)
10 Tonkatsu Restaurants Not to Miss in Tokyo
Ginza Katsukami is attracting attention for its new way of presenting tonkatsu—through courses that include single pieces of a variety of different cuts. It is a restaurant with a sophisticated and luxurious atmosphere that is about a 5-minute walk from Ginza Station. In their course meals, you can savor six different types of tonkatsu, including some made with rare cuts of pork. Examples of tonkatsu served includes the fillet that's packed with flavor, the pork loin that's served with wasabi, and the shoulder cut that's served with truffle butter. Dinner is available from 5,000 JPY and lunch from 2,600 JPY. The food goes perfectly with the wines that have been carefully selected by the owner, who is a sommelier.

Ginza Katsukami

Open: Lunch 11:30 am - 3:00 pm (L.O. 2:00 pm), Dinner 6:00 pm - 10:00 pm (By reservation only in two seatings starting at 6:00 pm and 8:00 pm)
Closed: Irregular
Average price: [Dinner] 10,000 JPY / [Lunch] 3,000 JPY
Address: 5F, Ginza Miyako Bldg., 5-6-10, Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
A wide selection of restaurants to enjoy tonkatsu in Tokyo have been introduced, ranging from high-end and long-established restaurants to places for enjoying authentic tonkatsu at reasonable prices and new types of restaurants that are the talk of the town. Be sure to try them out to enjoy the flavors of Japan between sightseeing!
Disclaimer: All information is accurate at time of publication.
Update-date: Nov 08 2023
Author: SAVOR JAPAN

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