Tonkatsu Narikura — Restaurant in Tokyo

MAR 2024

The restaurant only accepts reservation online which requires a booking fee and due to limited seats and ingredients, it is booked out very fast most of the time unless there is cancellation. The menu they had when I dined here requires you to choose two different pork cuts for a standard meal with the option to add more; I had three different cuts in a meal which comes with some small appetizers, salad, rice, miso soup and dessert. The chateaubriand cutlet (100g) was a lean cut, very tender and moist, panko coating was nice and flaky; this cut goes well with some salt or tonkatsu sauce. The bara (belly) katsu was bursting with flavor from the multi layers of fat. The first bite was very delicious but after that it was too rich and heavy. The last cut was the mille-feuille cutlet which is thin slices of pork stacked together; it was so soft and juicy and surprisingly work so well with the sweet and chili sauce; my favorite out of the three cuts. Also had the filet katsu sandwich which is only available for takeout, tasty but a bit difficult to eat due to the thickness of the katsu. The tonkatsu was expensive but worth trying, highly recommend the mille-feuille cutlet. The chef and staffs were polite and friendly and the pacing of...

Tonkatsu Narikura has earned its reputation as one of Tokyo’s most sought-after katsu destinations, and while the pork lives up to high expectations, it’s the chicken katsu that truly steals the show.

The pork katsu—juicy, well-fried, and paired with excellent rice and cabbage—feels on par with other high-end tonkatsu joints. It’s solid, but not necessarily a standout when compared to competitors like Maisen or Butagumi. Where Narikura distinguishes itself is in its chicken katsu, which is simply sublime. The texture is impossibly tender, the coating light and crisp, and the flavor rich without feeling greasy. It’s the kind of dish that redefines what chicken katsu can be—delicate, luxurious, and comforting all at once. It’s worth the trip for this alone.

The space is minimalist and calm, letting the food take center stage. Service is efficient, and the pacing is thoughtful. However, getting in requires planning: reservations are difficult and fill up fast, so booking well in advance is essential.

If you’re a fan of katsu and think you’ve tried it all, Tonkatsu Narikura’s chicken offering will surprise you. It’s a masterclass in simplicity and execution—easily the best chicken katsu...

My friend consistently encouraged me to try this restaurant, despite the fact that securing a reservation felt as difficult as getting a concert ticket! However, the tonkatsu here is truly unique compared to other places, and it rightly earned the No.1 spot for tonkatsu in Japan on Tabelog. When making the reservation, we had to choose our menu in advance. The appetizer featured fresh vegetables with a distinctive, refreshing salad dressing that was light and not oily. For the main course, the pork had undergone a snow-aging process, which I believe made it exceptionally tender. My favorites were the loin and chateaubriand cuts, prized for their tenderness and aroma. The mille-feuille was also delicious, though fattier than the other two. We could enjoy the meat with either tonkatsu sauce or salt, but for me, it was flavorful enough without any dipping. The restaurant served a small bowl of rice, and additional rice was available for 200 yen. For dessert, we had a creative banana cake made using tonkatsu crumbs. Overall, this restaurant left a memorable impression with its innovative cooking style. I would love to...