Hyperlocal Tokyo

Crown Ace // A long-established speed curry shop with a Showa retro vibe // Right in front of Ueno Station's Inari-guchi entrance, just before Ameya-yokocho. A retro curry shop with sparkling, decorated glass windows. The menu only features curry. Plain, with hamburger, or curry - those are the three choices. Cheese topping and a large portion are the only other options, a refreshing simplicity that I love! The old man in the hall has a great Showa retro feel. The clattering ticket machine is a bit of a hoot. The waiting sofa is like a Showa-era snack bar. My stomach was rumbling, but I didn't have much time, and I wanted something more substantial than soba noodles. That's when I remembered this place and came here. ○ What I ordered ○ ⚪︎ Cutlet Curry ¥620 It was served super fast, just as I expected! The curry is delicious! It's sweet with a gentle spiciness that's just right. The only ingredient is pork. It's a bit porky, haha. The cutlet is probably pre-fried, but it's still pretty crispy! The breading is also fairly thick! Would I say it's incredibly delicious? It's decent, but it's good, and it goes well with the curry. The retro vibe is irresistible! The rice is firm, which I like. The plate is flat, but there's a good amount of food. The pickled ginger and pickled onions on the table are so well-maintained! The restroom is also clean, making it a pleasant place. The seats are spaced out, so you don't have to worry about sitting opposite someone, making it easy for solo women to come in, actually! Though in reality, it's mostly old men! Haha. I wonder if there are tourists and women on weekends. The Showa retro and cute exterior is perfect for photos! There can be a wait, but the food comes out quickly, and they open early. ⚠︎ Cash only!

This is a venerable old shop in Ueno with a dignified presence! It closes early, so you won't see it open unless you go during the day. I happened to pass by at lunchtime the other day and finally got to visit! As a famous old shop, there was already a long line. I went around 4 pm, and there were about 10 people waiting. I thought the reason for its popularity might be that it's delicious and cheap. I ordered the katsu curry this time. The cutlet was honestly not that impressive, it was just a good cutlet from a small restaurant. The real star was the curry! It had a simmered, bubbling feeling, with a slightly shiny surface and a simple piece of pork loin, I think. When I scooped it up with a spoon, the curry was thick and rich. The flavor was... incredibly rich! It was packed with umami. However, it wasn't flashy, and it had a nostalgic taste. The pork loin was juicy and very satisfying. The price was also incredibly cheap at 450 yen! It's easy on the wallet, so feel free to stop by. ^ ^

I visited after more than 10 years. I was surprised by how much the interior had changed. After the pandemic, all the seats face the wall in one direction. What surprised me was the incredibly low price of the menu. The taste was surprisingly good for the price, with a good amount of spice. It's a bit of a quirk that they serve beer in cans, but it's all part of the charm.

I saw a review where someone said they couldn't believe others found the food delicious and questioned their taste buds. I have to say, it's definitely good! I wonder if the person who wrote that review has any taste buds at all? Anyway, I visited this place after a few years. The interior has changed since my last visit, and they seem to be practicing social distancing as there was an empty seat between me and the person next to me. The food was as delicious as I remembered. I had the hamburger curry for 570 yen. This is a long-standing curry shop known for having more curry sauce than rice.

I had dinner at Crown Ace, a curry specialty store in Ueno Ameya-yokochō, the other night. While shopping around Ueno Ameya-yokochō, I started to get hungry and was looking for something to eat. I was drawn in by the faint aroma of curry 🍛 and was surprised by the wax model of curry rice and the price at the entrance 👀‼️ It was incredibly cheap for this area! Tempted by the price, I went inside🚶. The shop had a rather old-fashioned, retro feel, but it was surprisingly spacious. It was a ticket vending machine system, with one person in the dining area and one person in the kitchen. I ordered the budget-friendly katsu curry for 620 yen and the hamburger curry for 570 yen. After waiting a few minutes, the food came out quite quickly. It was like a curry version of a station's standing soba shop? Fast, cheap, and the taste was average 🍛. But it was delicious for the price. The curry had a piece of pork belly? braised pork 🥩, which was quite good for the price. The cutlet was also surprisingly tasty, and the hamburger was delicious for the price. It was better than the katsu curry and hamburger curry at the standing soba shops near the station, so it was GOOD⤴️. The large portion and toppings were also ordered from the ticket vending machine, making it clear and easy to pay. You could also add as much pickled radish and fukujinzuke as you wanted. I can see why there are regulars. It can't compete with high-end European-style beef curry shops, but Crown Ace is a great curry specialty store for when you're in a hurry or just have a little hunger. R6.9/6