Katsuya — Restaurant in Toronto

Nice little place on Yonge St. There was limited parking space but we were lucky to find parking in front of the restaurant. Decor is your standard Japanese homely restautant; very warm, yellow lighting, wooden tables and chairs. Anime is playing on the TV while you wait for your seat or your food. Remember to take advantage of the 5% off when you pay in cash discount.

Menu contains various katsu sauces with the katsu done with different cuts of meat. We got the red cabonara pork loin katsu and the snow chili pork tenders, as well as a tako wasabi for appetizers and a Kirin Ichiban beer. Miso soup and salad is served to everyone but ordering katsu allows you to refill those unlimited, though it is more or less just a gimmick as the katsu plates are so big in portions that it's easily stuffing. The miso soup is common-fare miso soup, nothing special. The salad is a Korean type of picked cabbage with jalapenos (while the restaurant is Japanese-named and themed, the staff is all Korean) has a very balanced amount of picked sourness and spiciness. Does well to get you into eating mood and helps you throughout your katsu-run.

The tako wasabi sits on a bed of seaweed salad, which when mixed can help ease the pungency of wasabi.(I decided to put my big boy pants on and went straight tako wasabi, I got a good kick out of that) You help yourself to a little spoonful on a slice of roasted seaweed and eat the mini taco lookalike in one bite for the zingy flavours. There's usually not enough filling to make six of these seaweed tacos, but it might just be my lack or proportioning experience.

The red cabonara sauce contains a couple of fresh shrimps and a few slices of bacon. The flavours of these ingredients translate very well to the sauce, and in turn the katsu. The fried katsu is fried to a golden crispy perfection and there is no lingering oil on the breading. The breading soaks up sauces just right and having the slice cabbage on the side helps ease the heaviness of the katsu while the picked ginger also refreshes the palate for another bite. Rice is refillable once but I doubt most people need it at all, its just another mechanic along with soup/salad to make sure you are full.

The snow chili pork tenders is almost the same experience but with a different sauce. The red chili sauce has a pretty Korean-inspired taste to it, sweet and spicy with some fermented bean flavour. The cheese on top melts perfectly, reflection of freshness and heat of the katsu fried. Not as heavy tasting as the red carbonara but still challenging to finish.

It should be noted that katsu will be plated differently according to the style it is prepared, adding a flair to your food.

Beer comes in a tall can with a refridgerated cold glass. Reasonably priced and perfect to go along with the fried katsu. The perfect combination.

The only downsides to this restaurant are it lacks parking spaces, it needs more staff when it gets busy, and it can do with a few more drink options...

Clean restaurant. Fast and friendly service. Delicious food. Reasonable prices for very large portions. Cozy atmosphere.

Went here for the first time last week, and have been addicted ever since. (I’ve gone back once - to their Mississauga location, and then I also used UberEats the other day for lunch)

We went here on a random Tuesday night at around 7pm. There was a small line (the restaurant isn’t very big), but they took our names down, and we waited about 10 minutes before we were seated.

The menu does a great job at showing you exactly what the food is like, and has plenty of Katsu options. In terms of actually food variety, there isn’t much. But this place specializes in their tonkatsu, and they have plenty of variety/options in relation to tonkatsu.

We got the following: Fries with Honey Butter Powder Brick Cheese Katsu (limited amounts made per day) Terri Mayo Cheese Katsu

The portions are very large and you also get one free rice refill.

The fries, were good but nothing spectacular. You could definitely taste the honey butter powder, but it’s nothing really worth going out of your way for.

The brick cheese katsu was good, but the cheese over powered the pork at times. As a cheese lover I personally didn’t mind this at all, but for those who like a balance; this dish may not be for you. (But for those of you with shellfish, and nut allergies, this is their safest dish)

The Terri Mayo Cheese Katsu was definitely my favorite dish. The pork was battered so well; and wasn’t overtly heavy. The pork also had a delicious flavor of its own, and the cheese was distributed evenly and melted very well and surprisingly did not take away from the overall taste. The tonkatsu itself was massive, and I needed a second serving of rice to help me get through it. The Bonito flakes, with the mayo and teriyaki added a good flavor as well, which went perfectly with the tonkatsu.

Our server was attentive and checked on us a good amount. Our server also made sure to check if we had any allergies, and connected with the kitchen to confirm.

Overall, this has definitely become my go to spot for tonkatsu, and I recommend you go out of your...

Katsuya - Summer Promo Combos Worth Trying

Promo: Summer event - up to 50% off select combos ($9.85 each!) Valid Mon-Fri, 12-5 PM at North York location only

When I go: yesterday Friday - Weekday lunch at 1:15 PM (July 2025), it’s full and we waited for 25mins for the food to come! Who: Two people

Food We tried both summer special combos: Regular Combo - Buckwheat cold noodles + 2 shrimp tempura Loin Katsu Combo - Buckwheat cold noodles + loin katsu

Noodles: Fresh and springy, served cold (without ice) in a sweet-and-sour broth that was balanced and flavourful -- great for those who prefer cold noddles during Summer. I feel like my body want a hot noddles still.

Shrimp Tempura: Nicely battered and well-made, though served not piping hot. Dipping sauce for shrimp was a standout!

Loin Katsu: Thin-cut, crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and lean (no fat) -- great if you prefer a lighter cut, but might not satisfy those who enjoy thick, fatty katsu.

Katsu Sauce: Delicious and elevated the fried dish -- definitely a highlight.

For the Interior, Seating, Lighting and Pricing: Atmosphere: Casual, clean, and spacious -- two guests could sit comfortably at a 4-person table.

Lighting: Adequate for a weekday lunch, no harsh glare.

Pricing: Incredible value during promo -- $9.85 per combo is unbeatable for what you get. But one thing, there was a slightly unpleasant smell noticed upon entry, possibly from cleaning cloths or table wraps.

Overall Value & Tips Worth it? Yes during the summer promo window. For original, it depends.

Tip: Go before 5 PM (Mon-Fri only), and visit the North York location -- other branches may not offer the same deal.

Best for: Lunch breaks, casual weekday meetups, someone nearby or if you're craving katsu on a budget and those who are nearby!

Have you tried Katsuya's summer promo yet? Let me know your favorite combo--or if you prefer your katsu...