Tonkatsu Tamafuji — Restaurant in Honolulu

Simply Amazing!

Parking is located in the hee hing plaza. With validation you'll end up paying 2 dollars. You can brave the streets for parking however if you prefer.

-Location is on the 2nd floor right next to tokkuri tei. Opening time was 4pm for weekdays and I suggest going there early. I showed up right at opening time and good thing because around 5pm the restaurant was packed with a wait list! I know you can write your name down and have them call you but who wants to wait anyway?

-We were seated quickly and had a full view of the open kitchen. My eyes quickly turned to the copper pots they were frying the meats in. I already knew what I was going for (recommended from my stylist), the 1pound jyukusei pork loin katsu special. It comes with your choice of rice and believe me when I say the hokkaido rice is something special. You may also choose which miso soup to go with your set (white, or red miso). Then between the clam and green onion or the tofu or seafood.

-* Use the wooden stick to grind your sesame seeds for the katsu sauce. There was a spicy, and also a sweet one. I combined both which turned out well.

-Once ordered they being a appetizer which consists of plum, and some picked veggies/cabbage. It truly did give me a taste of being back in Japan again. The ume was sour but also sweet which paired well with the rice. I honestly couldn't wait until the katsu arrived. When it did it was HUGE! It barely fit on the plate! I could barely even pick it up with the chopsticks talk about a huge portion. It also came with a salad and two different dressings. First bite was delicious, the crunch and the juicey meat! It was so good it honestly didnt even need the sauce that I spent so long making by the way. Just a little squirt of lemon juice yum. Unfortunately the only downside was the sheer size. It was actually difficult to consume since the table was so small and my food being so much. I managed to finish half before retreating and asking for a to go box.

-*They only have small size to go containers keep that in mind.

-Thankfully I knew exactly what I wanted to do with the left over katsu. (Katsu sandwiches!) Overall, what a great experience! Delicious food, huge portions, and a very good price range. This may be one of the best pork tonkatsu restaurants I've eaten...

Saturday night dinner for 2 adults. We ordered 2 sets: Oysters 5 piece and Pork Loin 180g, both with red miso with clams, seasoned rice w mushrooms.

Wonderful dinner despite the initial wait and lengthy wait for ordering and then for food. I ate many pickles while the food was being prepared. Miso soup arrives with the food, not with the pickles and sesame seeds.

Oysters were everything that I had to hoped for and much larger than I expected. Crunchy and crispy breading, I drizzled a little lemon juice, tartar sauce and spicy yellow mustard. For my thinly sliced cabbage, I chose the yuzu dressing over the sesame dressing (both were on the table). The pork loin was very good along with the piping hot miso soup.

The build your own adventure with the self-ground sesame seeds and mixing Katsu sauces was fun. Sweet Katsu sauce had a sweet aftertaste while the original Katsu sauce was simply salty.

I requested refills on pickles and thinly sliced cabbage.

After everything was eaten, a hot tea was offered. Unfortunately, I had just drunk a large glass of ice water and didn't have any room left for tea.

Other notes: 8pm seating was a 30 person total capacity. They cleared the entire dining room of the previous set/groups and then called us in. Groups of 2 to 6 across the room with clear dividers between the groups. Signs posted made the request for you to wear your mask if you were not actively eating or drinking.

I booked a reservation a few days out via the website, though many reviews reported that reservations are hard to get on short notice. There were a couple text reminders.

We arrived about 15 min early, checked in with the host just inside with an ipad. About 40 min wait for the dining room to be cleared. COVID procedure of IDs and Vaccination cards at the door once we were called. On our table, there was the request for contact information for future contact tracing.

And parking, there's metered street parking or under the building (restaurant is on the 2nd floor upstairs), covered...

Tonkatsu Tamafuji sets itself apart with its exquisite and unpretentious tonkatsu offerings. The immense popularity of the place meant securing a reservation was no small feat, with slots filled weeks in advance. My advice would be to plan well ahead of your visit. In our case, we had to settle for takeout, but even that managed to leave a memorable imprint on our palate.

Tonkatsu Tamafuji's claim to fame lies in their use of dry-aged pork, which gives their Jyukusei Pork Loin and Tender Loin Katsu an edge with concentrated flavors and a firmer texture. The meats are not overly fatty, which to my surprise, didn't detract from the overall flavor and satisfaction. Among these, the Tender Loin set made a particularly strong impression with its superb texture, arguably one of the best stateside.

The Big Jyukusei Pork Loin Katsu is a hearty affair. Its thickness could be a bit overwhelming for the unaccustomed, but it makes for a substantial, filling meal. All their katsu variants are devoid of excess grease, a testimony to the meticulous preparation that goes into each serving.

Dipping sauces come on the side, allowing you to control the level of flavor intensity. Each sauce introduces a new facet of taste, skillfully balancing the meat's rich flavor.

The experience with Tonkatsu Tamafuji, even through a takeout, was a pleasure and convinced me that its popularity is well-earned. Their dedication to the craft is evident in each dish, making it a must-try for anyone seeking an authentic tonkatsu experience. Even though securing a reservation can be challenging, it is an endeavor well...