Hyperlocal Tokyo

Ginza's long-established tonkatsu specialty shop. During meal times, there's always a line. You can enjoy incredibly delicious tonkatsu. The cutlet is cooked rare. The kasu pork soup that comes with the set meal and even the rice are exquisite. Eating here makes you truly happy. However, the shop is extremely narrow with only a counter. You'll get scolded if you chat for too long while eating. I agree with that. Also, the grumpy old man who only focuses on frying (he doesn't do anything else), the old lady (I think?) who runs the counter and chants "Hai, upper loin, upper loin~" like a mantra, and the extreme division of labor within the counter are all sights to behold. It's a good place to eat delicious tonkatsu, even though you have to wait in line and it's cramped.

I visited before 8 PM, but it was full and I had to wait for a call. They don't make you wait in front of the restaurant, they call you when a table is available, so be aware of that. I wandered around for about 10 minutes and got a call. I went back to the restaurant and ordered a bottle of Ebisu beer, a pork cutlet set, and two extra oysters. The food arrived about 15 minutes later. The pork cutlet was huge. It was pretty ordinary, but it was crispy and light, and when I took a bite, I was surprised by its tenderness and flavor. It was juicy. The cabbage was plentiful, the rice was delicious, and the pork soup was also good. I see why this place is so popular.

A tonkatsu (breaded pork cutlet) restaurant in Ginza. It's located within a 5-minute walk from Higashi-Ginza Station. It's one of the 100 best tonkatsu restaurants in 2024. The name of the restaurant is pronounced "Nishi-mura." This restaurant is only open on weekdays. I went there around 1:30 PM on a weekday, and it was almost full. There were only two seats available. Today, I ordered the following: ✔︎ Premium Loin Cutlet Set (¥1600) It arrived in about 5 minutes. It comes with tonjiru (pork and vegetable soup) and pickled vegetables. There's a generous amount of shredded cabbage behind the tonkatsu. Considering the location and the portion size, it's quite reasonable ✨ The tonkatsu has a rich, fatty texture, but it's not overly greasy. The meaty flavor is excellent◎ The menu recommends eating it with rock salt, but personally, I think this tonkatsu goes well with sauce. The tonkatsu is great, but the tonjiru is truly delicious. I wonder if it contains sake lees or sake koji? It has a unique flavor that's addictive and I'm hooked (°▽°) The rice is also delicious. Each grain is distinct and feels alive. The tonkatsu, rice, and tonjiru are all perfectly balanced and delicious. And with this location, this volume, and this price, it's no wonder it's so popular. I wish they were open on weekends too (๑・₃・๑) Thank you for the meal!!

This restaurant offers delicious tonkatsu (breaded pork cutlet) at affordable prices. The tonkatsu is crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. The accompanying cabbage is finely shredded, and the rice, served in a wooden rice container, is cooked firm. The tonjiru (pork and vegetable soup) has a hint of sake kasu (sake lees), and the pickles are also delicious. Everything is simply delicious. If you order the set, you'll get rock salt, which allows you to savor the sweet and flavorful meat. On the table, you'll find mayonnaise and dressing for the cabbage, and for the tonkatsu, there are tonkatsu sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and soy sauce, allowing you to enjoy it to your liking.

To cut to the chase, the food was absolutely incredible. I regret not coming here sooner! I had been curious about this place for a while, but it always seemed crowded, so I never got around to trying it. However, I went a little early, around 6 PM, and was lucky enough to find a seat. It's a counter-only restaurant, and they seat you in order of arrival, moving you further back as the place fills up. I followed their instructions. But, customers kept coming in, and within five minutes, the place was packed. I was torn between the Loin Cutlet Set and the Premium Loin Cutlet Set, but since the price difference wasn't that big, I went for the Premium Loin. Looking around, I noticed that a group of regulars in the back were drinking, but everyone else was just having the sets. I hesitated, but there were dishes written on the whiteboard and the counter that seemed perfect for pairing with drinks, so I ordered a draft beer and a potato salad. The owner wasn't exactly friendly, but he didn't change his expression when I ordered, so I wasn't sure if that was a good or bad sign. Still, I enjoyed the potato salad with the draft beer, which he poured carefully. The complimentary braised burdock root, the daikon radish with miso paste that came with the Premium Loin, and the potato salad, which was packed with egg and a generous portion for the price, were all incredibly delicious. The braised burdock root and daikon radish were meticulously prepared, almost on par with high-end Japanese cuisine. This made me even more excited for the pork cutlet! When it finally arrived, the owner said, "Eat the top half with rock salt." It wasn't a suggestion like, "Would you like some rock salt?" He was adamant about it! So, I used the rock salt, but instead of sprinkling it on, I scraped some onto the edge of the plate and dipped the pork cutlet in it. "What the heck is this?" I thought. "This is unbelievably delicious!" I was so grateful for his insistence. The pink, moist pork was incredibly tender and juicy, without being greasy. The delicate sweetness of the pork was enhanced by the coarse salt, and even without sauce, it went perfectly with the rice. The pork and miso soup was also amazing. I'm definitely coming back, but was ordering the draft beer a good idea? With so many customers coming in, it felt like the unspoken rule was, "You can have a draft beer, but finish it before your food comes out." The place is always packed, so maybe it's just a matter of etiquette. It's not like they explicitly say, "Don't eat slowly, don't look at your phone while eating, and get out of here quickly once you're done." But, that's probably the unspoken rule for customers at this restaurant, and it makes sense. After all, they use such high-quality pork, and the prices are so reasonable, especially for Ginza. To share this happiness with everyone, please understand. It's absolutely incredible! The food was so delicious!