GYUKATSU Kyoto Katsugyu Asakusa Orange Street — Restaurant in Tokyo

Sometimes, life gives you lemons. And sometimes, life says “Sorry, we’re sold out for the day” at your original brunch spot—but then casually tosses you into the arms of one of the best meals of your trip. That’s how I stumbled, hungry and heartbroken, into the glowing embrace of Gyukatsu Kyoto Katsugyu in Asakusa. And let me tell you: I regret nothing. NOTHING.

This spot is tiny like, six bar seats on the first floor and an upstair level. Blink and you’ll miss it. But what it lacks in square footage, it more than makes up for in meat magic.

🥩 The Star: Japanese Premium Wagyu Sirloin Cutlet Set Lightly breaded, fried to a glorious medium rare, and more tender than your last breakup text. They provide you a tiny personal sterno grill so you can sear your beef to your exact preference like a bougie caveman. Want it rare? Go for it. Want it sizzled to a crisp? Live your truth.

But honestly, the beef was so tender I could hear violin music playing in the background. I was fully prepared to start sobbing into my rice. At one point, I closed my eyes to center myself—it was a meditative experience. I wanted to sigh, moan, whisper “thank you” to the universe but the seating was too intimate for that level of vulnerability. People were close enough to hear my soul leave my body.

🎌 Accompaniments Galore:

Two sauces Wasabi salt Grated daikon Onsen egg Japanese curry Soup, rice, and a mini cabbage mountain

I ignored most of these at first because the beef didn’t need help. But then… curiosity got the best of me.

🍛 THE CURRY. OH. MY. GOD. The second I dipped my gyukatsu into that rich, complex, umami-drenched pool of heaven, I felt shame, shame that I had waited so long. It was hands-down one of the best Japanese curries I’ve ever had. And when I finally cracked that onsen egg open, game over. Silky, golden richness met crispy beef perfection. I ascended.

🔥 I ate so slowly, savoring every tender bite with the reverence it deserved that my tiny grill burned out. The staff had to come by and refuel it. That’s how much I was living in the moment. Mindfulness? No. Meat-fulness.

💴 Damage: About 4000 Yen (~$28 USD) with a beer. Worth every yen. I would have paid more. I would have bartered with emotional secrets.

Final Thoughts: This was one of my Top 3 meals in Japan, no question. Gyukatsu was already on my food bucket list, and this impromptu visit turned into one of those rare, unforgettable food moments that make you believe in fate. So if the restaurant you wanted is closed or sold out? Don’t despair. Follow your stomach. Follow the smell of sizzling beef. Let destiny take the reins.

And if you end up here, whisper softly to your plate before the first bite: “I’m ready to...

I’m confused how this place has such glowing reviews. We had lunch here, ordering the wagyu sirloin set, the regular sirloin set, and the regular filet mignon set, plus a couple of beers and sukiyaki options. The food was good, but not five star or what you’d expect from the price and reviews. First, the beef was downright chewy, requiring some wrestling to get through the gristle of even the wagyu. The flavor was good and it was fun sizzling pieces briefly on the tabletop iron mini-skillet, though. The second issue: the draft beer was tepid, served in warm glasses. We mentioned this, and they replaced them with the same temperature beer, an oddity from any other of the dozens of frosty-mug experiences we’ve had in Japan. Third, there was one poor guy running around servicing all the tables in the petite upstairs dining area, and it was more work than he could reasonably handle. For example, the fuel pods for the tabletop skillets went out after 10 or so minutes, and it took some time to flag him down to replace and relight the things. He did as well as one person could, but again for the price it was not what we expected. Last, though this is second-hand, the ladies at the table next to ours asked if they could take their uneaten portions out, and were denied. Seems odd for a place that has to-go katsus advertised out front. All told, it was about a 3.7...

I first visited the Kyoto branch in 2023 and loved it so much that I was thrilled to find a Kyoto Katsugyu in Asakusa. We planned a special family dinner to celebrate my mom’s 70th birthday and my niece’s 10th at the same time, and it couldn’t have gone better. This was a definite highlight of our trip.

We were assisted by the amazing Misaki who was incredibly accommodating. While they don’t take reservations, she made sure we had a spot for eight people upstairs and looked after everything for us.- thank you very much Misaki for helping make my mom’s 70th birthday special.

The location itself is 2 stories, but in typical Japanese fashion is abit small. First floor is mostly bar style seating and upstairs are tables. It is just a walk a way from sensoji temple so be sure to make a stop for lunch or dinner.

Now the food! The food was outstanding. The beef katsu here is easily the best I’ve had. Highly recommend the Wagyu sirloin set it’s rich, tender and full of flavour. An unforgettable...