Tonkatsu
Open 11am-10pm (LO) daily.
Besides the usual tonkatsu they offer variations like deep-fried shrimp and scallops, yuba (tofu skin) croquettes, and nice side dishes like chawanmushi, tofu salad and kakuni stewed pork. The...
Open 11am-10pm (LO) daily.
Open 11am-10pm (LO) daily.
One of Tokyo's most famous tonkatsu restaurants, this main branch of Maisen occupies an unusually decorated former bathhouse. In addition to pork cutlets they also serve a full menu of set teishoku...
Open 11am-10pm (LO) daily.
Open 11:30am-2, 5-10pm (LO). Closed Mondays.
Tonkatsu doesn't get much better than this. Butagumi showcases premium pork brands - Spanish Iberico, Berkshire, Tokyo X, Agoo from Okinawa and many others, with several choices on any given day. ...
Open 11:30am-2, 5-10pm (LO). Closed Mondays.
Open 4-10:45pm. Closed Tuesdays, some Mon.
Japan's most famous tonkatsu restaurant has been called an institution, and indeed the atmosphere is institutional and utterly charmless, with a vast assembly-line kitchen surrounded by one...
Open 4-10:45pm. Closed Tuesdays, some Mon.
Open 11am-9pm daily.
The gourmet tonkatsu here is made from tasty premium hybrid pork from a small farm in Yamagata. Katsu sets are priced Y1400-2500, and full-course pork shabu-shabu dinners are Y4500-7500. Lunch...
Open 11am-9pm daily.
Open 11am-10:30pm (LO) daily.
Tonkatsu at this branch of the legendary Nishi-Azabu Butagumi is made from premium grades of pork and heirloom breeds. The spacious counter surrounds an open kitchen area where you can watch your...
Open 11am-10:30pm (LO) daily.
Open 10am-10pm (LO) daily.
One of Nagoya's most famous tonkatsu shops, Yabaton is known for their tasty miso-slathered cutlets and their cute pig-sumo wrestler mascot. The teppan tonkatsu (Y1365) is their best-selling dish - a...
Open 10am-10pm (LO) daily.
Open 11am-3, 5-9pm (LO). Closed Sundays.
This lively neighborhood shop does a brisk business both day and night, so it might be a good idea to avoid peak lunch and dinner hours if you don't want to wait. In addition to doing excellent...
Open 11am-3, 5-9pm (LO). Closed Sundays.
Open 11:30am-9:30pm (LO) daily.
OK tonkatsu, fried shrimp, and "Western-style" beef dishes in an eccentric, oddly appealing junk-shop atmosphere.
Open 11:30am-9:30pm (LO) daily.
Open 11:30am-3, 5-8:25pm (LO). Closed Thurs., 3rd Wed.
Great tonkatsu served in a nice old traditional house smack in the middle of Akihabara's "Electric Town." (near the Livina lamp megastore.)
Open 11:30am-3, 5-8:25pm (LO). Closed Thurs., 3rd Wed.
Open 11am-9:30pm (LO) daily.
One of the best of the tonkatsu chains, Kyoto-based Katsukura offers nice side dishes like yuba (tofu-skin) croquettes and excellent Kyoto-style pickles. And they're open all afternoon if you need a...
Open 11am-9:30pm (LO) daily.
Open 11am-9pm (LO) daily.
The gourmet tonkatsu here is made from tasty premium hybrid pork from a small farm in Yamagata. Katsu sets are priced Y1400-2500, and full-course pork shabu-shabu dinners are Y4500-5500.
Open 11am-9pm (LO) daily.
Gyukatsu (beef cutlet)
Open 11am-10pm (LO) daily.
Iroha's gyukatsu is covered with a thin, crunchy coating that softens quickly when dipped in sauce. Each diner is supplied with a miniature brazier with which to heat up individual slices of beef...
Open 11am-10pm (LO) daily.
Open 11am-10pm daily.
There are lines to get into Motomura day and night, and it's easy to understand why once you've tasted their very popular gyukatsu (deep-fried beef cutlet). Served rare in the middle with a thin,...
Open 11am-10pm daily.
Open 11am-10pm daily.
Excellent deep-fried beef cutlet is the draw at this popular beef specialist; prices start at Y1400 for a single portion of meat, or Y2300 for a double portion, with rice and side dishes.
Open 11am-10pm daily.
Open 11:30am-2, 5-10pm (LO). Closed Sundays.
Deep-fried kushiage skewers and gyukatsu (beef cutlet) are matched with assertive sakes at this casual basement izakaya. Seasonal shellfish and vegetables make up most of the kushiage selection, and...
Open 11:30am-2, 5-10pm (LO). Closed Sundays.
Open 11am-10:30pm (LO) daily.
Deep-fried beef cutlet is the specialty at this branch of the Kyoto-based restaurant. Set meals are priced Y1180-1580.
Open 11am-10:30pm (LO) daily.
Open 11am-10:30pm (LO; Sat -9:30, Sun -8:30) daily.
This tiny, nine-seat counter shop just may serve the best deep-fried beef cutlet in Tokyo. The meat is beautifully marbled, encased in a thin, softly crunchy coating and quite tasty with just a bit...
Open 11am-10:30pm (LO; Sat -9:30, Sun -8:30) daily.
Open 11am-10pm (LO) daily.
Excellent deep-fried beef cutlet is the draw at this popular beef specialist. We recommend the double portion, which comes with rice and side dishes.
Open 11am-10pm (LO) daily.
Kushiage
Kushiya Monogatari - Kushiage: Ikebukuro
Open 11am-10:30pm (LO) daily.
This popular Osaka-based shop lets you cook your own kushiage skewers in a deep-fryer right at your table. It's all you can eat, including various side dishes and a big variety of skewered tidbits. ...
Open 11am-10:30pm (LO) daily.
Open 5-10pm (LO) daily.
You'll find high-quality skewered morsels that are deep-fried with a light touch here, and ordering is simple - just tell them when to stop. (Don't worry, you can specify in advance any ingredients...
Open 5-10pm (LO) daily.
Open 11:30am-3, 5-9:30pm (LO) daily.
One of Tokyo's most reliable kushiage shops, Kushinobo offers creative skewers, a decent sake selection and good value for money. A ten-skewer set menu is Y3240 at dinnertime, while an eight-skewer...
Open 11:30am-3, 5-9:30pm (LO) daily.
Open 11:30am-9:30pm (LO). Closed Wednesdays.
A branch of one of Tokyo's best kushiage chains. (Kushiage is deep-fried meat, seafood and vegetable morsels served on skewers.)
Open 11:30am-9:30pm (LO). Closed Wednesdays.
Open 5pm-1am daily.
This popular Osaka-based izakaya is the complete opposite of your typical Tokyo gourmet kushiage shop - the atmosphere is lively and often raucous, with every inch of the tightly packed tables...
Open 5pm-1am daily.
Open 11:30am-2:30, 5:30-10:30pm (LO). Closed Saturdays, Sundays.
Spread out vertically over four narrow floors, this old-fashioned izakaya offers fantastic, very creative kushiage - some of the best we've found in Tokyo - along with a small but well-chosen sake...
Open 11:30am-2:30, 5:30-10:30pm (LO). Closed Saturdays, Sundays.
Open 11:30am-1:30, 5:30-11pm (LO). Closed Sundays.
Top-quality seafood, meats and vegetables go into the kushiage here, and while the average dinnertime budget is around Y6000, lunch is a real bargain at just Y1000. The set lunch features eight...
Open 11:30am-1:30, 5:30-11pm (LO). Closed Sundays.
★Kushinobo (honten) - Kushiage: Ginza
Open 5-9:30pm (LO) daily.
Assorted seafood and vegetable delicacies on skewers from this long-running shop. Budget around Y5500 for dinner and drinks.
Open 5-9:30pm (LO) daily.
Open 11am-3:15am (LO) daily.
This popular after-work drinking spot offers very affordable prices - you can enjoy a couple of drinks and snacks here for under Y2000. Deep-fried kushiage skewers start at around Y140, and you can...
Open 11am-3:15am (LO) daily.
Open 11:30-2, 5-10pm (LO). Closed Sundays.
"French kushiage" is the unusual specialty at Beignet. Deep-fried morsels of meat and seafood are assembled with a creative flair, and served alongside original French-style side dishes and...
Open 11:30-2, 5-10pm (LO). Closed Sundays.
Open 11am-2, 5-11pm (LO) daily.
The down-home decor, warm service and extremely lively atmosphere give this shop the feel of a real old-school izakaya, although they've only been open since 2012. Charcoal-grilled seafood, meats...
Open 11am-2, 5-11pm (LO) daily.
Open 11am-10pm (LO) daily.
While this is ostensibly a soba shop, most evening visitors are here for the deep-fried kushiage skewers, served with sake, shochu or beer. Skewers come in a nice range of both seafood and vegetable...
Open 11am-10pm (LO) daily.
Open 4-11pm daily.
You'll find high-quality skewered morsels that are deep-fried with a light touch here, and ordering is simple - just tell them when to stop. (Don't worry, you can specify in advance any ingredients...
Open 4-11pm daily.
Hantei - Kushiage: Nezu
Open noon-2, 5-9:30pm (LO). Closed Mondays.
A popular kushiage restaurant located in a charming old wooden country-style house. You'll be amazed at the variety of foods that can be served on sticks. New items arrive six sticks at a time, and...
Open noon-2, 5-9:30pm (LO). Closed Mondays.
Open 11am-10pm (LO) daily.
This popular Osaka-based shop lets you cook your own kushiage skewers in a deep-fryer right at your table. It's all you can eat, including various side dishes, and a big variety of skewered...
Open 11am-10pm (LO) daily.
Open 4-11:30pm (LO) daily.
Located along a bustling shopping arcade near Minami-Asagaya station, this charming local izakaya has a real neighborhood feel to it, with patrons of all ages. The specialty of the house is kushiage...
Open 4-11:30pm (LO) daily.
Open 4-11pm daily.
Good, all-you-can-eat kushiage from this very popular Osaka-based chain. Pick your own skewers of fish, meat and vegetables from the counter and deep-fry them yourself at your table. Y2500 for two...
Open 4-11pm daily.
Tanaka - Kushiage: Kiba
Open 5pm-1:30am (LO; weekends noon-) daily.
This budget-friendly izakaya chain specializes in Osaka-style kushiage. Individual deep-fried skewers are priced Y100-200 each, and there's a good assortment of small side dishes as well. Budget...
Open 5pm-1:30am (LO; weekends noon-) daily.
Open 11am-10pm daily.
This tiny shop adjacent to the Hageten tempura restaurant serves decent kushiage at quite reasonable prices - ten deep-fried skewers of seasonal seafood and vegetables, along with rice, soup, salad...
Open 11am-10pm daily.
Open 11:30am-3, 5-10pm (LO) daily.
Good, all-you-can-eat kushiage from this very popular Osaka-based chain. Pick your own skewers of fish, meat and vegetables from the counter and deep-fry them yourself at your table. Y2500 for two...
Open 11:30am-3, 5-10pm (LO) daily.
Karaage
Open 5pm-5am daily.
With numerous branches all over Tokyo, this Nagoya-based fried-chicken chain must be doing something right. Their chicken tends to be on the oily end of the spectrum, juicy rather than crisp, fried...
Open 5pm-5am daily.
Open 10:30am-10pm (LO). Closed 2nd Sunday.
While many serious karaage shops will custom-fry each order, Karayama seems to have a big enough turnover that they can often serve you an order of hot, freshly fried chicken as soon as you sit down....
Open 10:30am-10pm (LO). Closed 2nd Sunday.
Open 10am-10pm (LO) daily.
Fried chicken reaches a whole new level of greatness at Tokyo Karaage Bar. First of all, you get to choose your favorite parts of the bird - wings, breast, thigh, fatty bonjiri (tail), liver,...
Open 10am-10pm (LO) daily.
Open 10am-10pm daily.
This take-out-only shop serves fantastic deep-fried chicken kara-age, freshly prepared when you order. The extra-crispy momo (thigh meat) is indeed wonderfully crunchy; there's also an extra-juicy...
Open 10am-10pm daily.
Open 9am-11pm daily.
Torisen's crunchy deep-fried chicken skin, aka "kawa-sembei," is very appealing, and the undisputed star of their take-out offerings. The fried chicken isn't bad either - flavored with garlic, soy...
Open 9am-11pm daily.
Open 11:30am-2, 4:30-midnight. Closed 1st, 3rd Wed.
This popular local fried-chicken take-out shop also provides a few seats if you want to eat here. The chicken is on the juicy end of the scale and nicely seasoned; variations include nankotsu...
Open 11:30am-2, 4:30-midnight. Closed 1st, 3rd Wed.
Open 11am-7:45pm (LO) daily.
Special blended spices, ginger and home-cultivated garlic are some of the flavor secrets of the fried chicken at this small take-out shop. Unlike most karaage shops, you can choose which cuts of...
Open 11am-7:45pm (LO) daily.
Fried chicken
Open 11am-midnight daily.
The deep-fried whole chickens at this Shanghai-based chain are audibly crunchy, with a thick coating and succulent, juicy meat. Each order is customizable with your choice of flavorings like mala...
Open 11am-midnight daily.
Open 11am-1am daily.
This popular Korean fried chicken specialty restaurant serves a bewildering array of chicken variations with different spice and sauce combinations. Crispy fried chicken, regular sauce chicken,...
Open 11am-1am daily.
Open 11am-10pm (LO; Sat, Sun -8:30) daily.
This tiny specialty stand serves very juicy and delicious fried chicken, Spanish rather than karaage in style, with mild garlicky flavoring and quite ample volume. They claim the chicken tastes...
Open 11am-10pm (LO; Sat, Sun -8:30) daily.
Open 10am-2am daily.
Deep-fried whole chickens are the main draw at this Shanghai-based chain, customizable with your choice of flavorings and sauces. More than just crisp, the chicken here is downright crunchy, with a...
Open 10am-2am daily.
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