"OSAKA Mania Exploration" delves into the charms of Osaka with guests who are passionate about what they love. Osaka is home to many famous local specialties, but tonkatsu is currently gaining popularity among foreign tourists! So, this time, we went to eat all kinds of tonkatsu together with MADEinARISA, a katsu curry enthusiast!

Golden fried batter, juicy meat inside, and plenty of sauce... Just like Osaka's famous kushikatsu, tonkatsu, a combination of batter and sauce, is a gourmet dish that Osakans can't help but respond to.

Osaka is currently experiencing a neo-tonkatsu boom, with a wide variety of genres, including hearty cuts, high-end dishes using high-quality meat, and katsu curry, as the country is known for its curry.

To introduce tonkatsu, which is a delight to both look at and eat, we'll be introducing eight carefully selected restaurants, from the latest hits to classic, long-established tonkatsu restaurants, in collaboration with MADEinARISA, a katsu curry enthusiast.

01. Osaka Tonkatsu (formerly Chiyomatsu)

Overwhelming volume and visuals!
A 5cm thick, non-stick katsudon invented by a former sumo wrestler

Osaka Tonkatsu is an extremely popular restaurant known for its 5cm thick katsudon, the thickest in Japan, invented by the previous owner, Chiyomatsu, a former sumo wrestler. This overwhelmingly thick dish is achieved by cooking the pork at low temperature for 24 hours, and the idea of placing an egg underneath the pork cutlet, leaving it unsealed, is also great, in order to maintain the texture and satisfying taste of the batter. Another unique feature of this restaurant is the use of sticky barley rice to balance the volume and punch of the tonkatsu. There are also a number of flavor-changing items on the table, and pickles as a garnish...it's a great way to eat a dish this large in volume, yet still be able to eat it all in one go.

The price is 2,500 yen (tax included). One slice is equivalent to a whole pork cutlet.

The cutlet alone weighs 450g!

Tsutenkaku Tower Katsudon, made by piling fillet meat high in the air, is also popular.

The pork cooked at low temperature is juicy! Then it's coated in batter and deep-fried. It's so immoral!

 

The sight of large pieces of pork flying around in the frying area and kitchen is impressive! And what's even more refreshing is that the crispy texture is filled with low-temperature cooked pork. Because it's cooked at low temperature, it's juicy with plenty of moisture, and because it has a texture similar to ham, it's surprisingly easier on the stomach than regular cutlets, even if you eat a lot! It's a new food experience that you should definitely try!

Original 5cm Katsudon Osaka Tonkatsu

1-1-10 Sennichimae, Chuo-ku, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture

Google maps

Business hours: 11:00-21:30
Closed: Irregular holidays
Phone number: 06-6212-5920
*Currently, in addition to the Dotonbori main store, there are also stores in Abeno Hoop, Namba DOTON PLAZA and Umeda, where "Japan's thickest pork cutlet sandwich, Osaka Tonkatsu" is mainly serving pork cutlet sandwiches.
Instagram

02. New Babe

You can easily enjoy brand pork!
Another appealing feature is the ability to choose the brand and cut of meat.

This popular restaurant has further accelerated Osaka's high-end tonkatsu boom. This brand-name pork specialty restaurant directly procures carefully selected pork, and even though the pork is extremely thick and cooked at low temperature, it's not at all greasy. They offer a wide variety of brand-name pork, including Hayashi SPF, a pioneer of SPF pork; Saddleback, a legendary pork cutlet in Europe; and Mangalitsa pork, the only edible national treasure in the world. Ten types of condiments are included, including mustard on the table, and they also offer free refills of rice, pork soup, and lettuce or cabbage. If you want to enjoy a set meal of brand-name pork and still feel full, this is a must-see restaurant for you.

The cross section shows a beautiful layer of fat and meat, with a perfect balance of crispy breadcrumbs and juicy pork.

This Hayashi SPF pork loin 200g set is 2,800 yen (tax included).

The custom-made dish comes with a small plate for condiments, including the classic sauces, salt, wasabi, and even fresh black pepper. There is also mustard on the table.

We recommend leaving two mouthfuls of rice and one piece of pork cutlet, pouring the broth over it and finishing it off like chazuke.

 

It's always packed with tonkatsu lovers. It's fun to be able to choose from a variety of pork brands, and you can also choose the size, so even those with small appetites can rest assured! There are 10 different flavor-changing items, so I carefully tried a little at a time. No matter what arrangement you choose, the pork stands out, and this is truly a famous restaurant!

NewBabe Tanimachi Honten

Diamond Palace Building 1F, 2-3-8 Hommachi Chuo-ku, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture

Google maps

Business hours: 11:00-15:00, 17:00-20:00
Closed: Open year-round
Phone number: 090-6669-9083
*Currently, in addition to the Tanimachi main store, we also have stores in Namba, Higobashi, and Yodobashi Sendai.
Instagram

03. Manger

We have everything from brand name pork to creative variations!
The top of Osaka gourmet tonkatsu

Manger is the undisputed number one tonkatsu restaurant in the Kansai region on Tabelog's ranking of the best tonkatsu restaurants. Even gourmets are quick to point out that their tonkatsu is incredibly fresh and juicy. If it's your first time, be sure to try the fillet cutlet and experience its juiciness. For your main tonkatsu, you can choose from six different types of branded pork. The lineup includes Hashiributa (running pork), TOKYO-X, Nanshu Kurobuta (black pork), Super Golden Pork, Himuro Pork, and Aji Pork. You can choose between rib roast and fillet. What's more, you can even choose half and half, combining brands and cuts, for added flexibility.

The pork cutlet is kept at the proper temperature, making it incredibly juicy.

There are many different cuts and brands on standby, so it's a shame you can't sample them all in one visit.

 

Everyone knows Manger as a charismatic figure in the tonkatsu world. Their pork is of the highest quality, so no matter what brand or cut you choose, you'll be impressed. Not only the tonkatsu, but the accompanying salads, pickles, miso soup, and rice are all top-notch. Numbered tickets are distributed from 8:30 a.m. onwards. It's recommended to visit first thing in the morning and then return when your turn arrives.

Manger

2-3-22 Yokoen, Yao City, Osaka Prefecture

Google maps

Business hours: 11:00-14:00, 17:00-20:00
Closed: Mondays and Tuesdays
Phone number: 072-996-0175
Official website

04. Abeno Katsu Sandwich Parlor Romantei

Enjoy a delicious cutlet sandwich at the parlor!
The cutlet sandwich for breakfast is also recommended!

This is a katsu sandwich specialty shop run by Romantei, famous for its beefsteak bento. The popular katsu sandwich is a masterpiece made with perfectly seasoned meat that is slowly deep-fried to bring out its flavor and lock in all the juices. What's more, this katsu sandwich can also be enjoyed for breakfast, making it even more appealing. The interior is a parlor-style reminiscent of the Taisho era, creating a nostalgic atmosphere. The mille-feuille egg sandwich, made with layers of thin bread and egg, is also excellent, so we recommend ordering half and half.

The mille-feuille egg sandwich is an exquisite combination of fragrant toast and egg salad.

The recommended item is the fillet cutlet sandwich with demi-glace sauce, priced at 940 yen.

 

The small portion size is great. With this size, you can eat it even after lunch, and the fact that they also serve breakfast is amazing. By the way, they don't just have sauce flavor, they also have curry and cheese flavors, which I'm curious about. I'll definitely get the curry flavor next time!

Abeno Cutlet Sandwich Parlor Romantei

Abeno Harukas Kintetsu Main Store Wing B2F, 1-1-43 Abenosuji, Abeno-ku, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture

Google maps

Business hours: 10:00-20:30 (same as Abeno Harukas Kintetsu Main Store Wing Building)
Closed: Open daily (same as Abeno Harukas Kintetsu Main Store Wing Building)
Phone number: 06-6627-9399
Instagram

05.Our Oretachi no Curry ya

The ultimate classic European-style cutlet curry!
A taste that makes you say, "This is what I wanted to eat!"

Oretachi no Curry ya, located in Nipponbashi, Osaka, is the most popular curry shop among foreign tourists. Their particularly popular katsu curry is a masterpiece, topped with a crispy fried cutlet in a sweet European-style roux, making it a truly exemplary dish. The cutlet is cut lengthwise and crosswise into bite-sized pieces so that it's easy to eat with a spoon, and it's topped with a rich roux, rice, and fukujinzuke pickles. When you bite into it all at once, the classic flavor spreads throughout your mouth, making you instantly feel overwhelmed with happiness, and you'll be convinced that this is the katsu curry you've always wanted to try!

A classic cutlet curry that is popular among foreigners.

The cutlet is bite-sized, so you can eat it with just one spoon. The price is 850 yen.

The sweet fukujinzuke goes perfectly with the sweet curry.

MADEinARISA, shooting a story for the Katsu Curry Encyclopedia.

The menu is multilingual.

 

I had heard a lot about "Oretachi no Curry ya." I had heard that it was incredibly popular among foreigners, but when I got there I was surprised to find that all the customers except for us were foreigners. Their katsu curry is the classic Japanese katsu curry, and it's so popular with foreigners too! It was quite moving to think that. They also have curry for Muslims, and a unique dish called curry ramen. I was also impressed by the variety of options!

Oretachi no Curry ya

14-13 Namba Sennichimae, Chuo Ward, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture

Google maps

Business hours: 11:00-16:30, 17:30-22:00 (Saturdays and Sundays: 11:00-22:00)
Closed: Open daily
Phone number: 06-6964-8329
Instagram

06. Stand Curry Watanabe

You can enjoy authentic food quickly!
The second label of a Michelin-starred restaurant

A sister restaurant of the famous Watanabe Curry, which has been awarded the Michelin Bib Gourmand for three consecutive years, Stand Curry Watanabe opened in 2023 as a new, convenient, and speedy stand-up restaurant (with seating) on the B1F of Osaka Station Building 1, a hot lunch spot for office workers in the Umeda area. Their generously-prepared rib-eye pork cutlet curry is just 1,000 yen (tax included)! For an additional 250 yen, you can get two cutlets! Compared to the main store, the pork cutlet is thinner, and the runny curry roux, packed with the flavors of meat and vegetables, is a perfect match. The second half of the meal is enhanced with a tomato chutney for a different flavor. Another attraction is the highly creative monthly changing curry.

The fat oozes out from the thinly sliced cutlet, and it's just the right amount of tender.

Mixed fried curry, which changes every month, is served with pork cutlet, spiced croquette, and fried shrimp for 1,300 yen (tax included) *The type of fries and the price may change.

 

I'm a big fan of classic European-style katsu curry, but this place is in a league of its own. The runny roux feels almost like a sauce. The katsu curry is easy to drink. It's great to be able to enjoy the taste of Watanabe Curry so easily. The time you spend waiting, excited by the sound of the oil frying right in front of you, is bliss. The sauteed mushroom topping is also recommended. If you're feeling good, you can even have an extra katsu!

Stand Curry Watanabe

Osaka Station Building 1, B1F, 1-3-1 Umeda, Kita-ku, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture

Google maps

Business hours: 11:30-15:30, 18:00-20:00
Closed: Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays
Phone number: 070-1802-4442
Instagram

07. Tontei

A popular restaurant where you can eat classic tonkatsu!
If you order a mixed set meal, you can also get other delicious fried foods.

If you want to eat classic, delicious pork cutlets, this is the place to go! After deciding on a main dish such as fillet pork cutlet or loin pork cutlet, the most popular menu item is a mix of two dishes to choose from, either fried shrimp or cream croquette. Dip the crispy, classic pork cutlet in one of two sauces and stuff it with rice, and you're sure to be in for a treat. Enjoy the crunchy cabbage as a palate cleanser, and occasionally sip on some red miso soup seasoned with Japanese pepper for even more delight...

For me, the best pork cutlet is one that is thin and crispy. Tontei's pork cutlet is the best cutlet I have ever had! The sauce is made with a combination of seasonings and spices similar to curry, so Tontei's cutlet is sure to go well with curry! I hope they do a cutlet curry one day! There will inevitably be a line from the time it opens, so it's best to visit with a little extra time to spare.

Tontei

4-1-2 Daido, Tennoji-ku, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture

Google maps

Business hours: 11:30-15:30, 17:30-20:30
Closed: 2nd and 3rd Tuesdays
Phone number: 06-6779-0565

08. Tonkatsu Tachibana

The secret demi-glace sauce goes perfectly with rice!
A long-established pork cutlet restaurant with a hint of Western influences

It's about an eight-minute walk from Sakai-Higashi Station. This famous tonkatsu restaurant lurks in a quiet residential area. While tonkatsu served with sauce is the standard, the demi-glace sauce at Tachibana is the key. The crispy, fragrant, authentic tonkatsu is generously topped with demi-glace sauce, which, contrary to its appearance, is surprisingly light. However, the moderate saltiness goes perfectly with the rice, and as you continue to eat, you'll find yourself running out of rice. The small bowls of kelp tsukudani (simmered in soy sauce) and red miso soup, which are typical Japanese set meal accompaniments, also go perfectly with the rice! It's definitely worth the trip all the way to Sakai-Higashi to try it.

The pork loin cutlet set is 1,050 yen (tax included). It has a refreshing taste that goes well with rice. This sauce is truly a secret recipe.

The prices are reasonable and the menu is extensive. Katsu curry is also popular.

 

Although it is a well-established tonkatsu restaurant, I was struck by the unbalanced sophistication of the demi-glace sauce on the cutlet! The food is of course delicious, but the staff are very homely and the atmosphere is wonderful. The CEO Tonkatsu Set (2,200 yen) on the top left of the menu is a set meal that comes with sashimi and coffee. I would like to try this next time! And the cutlet curry too!

Tonkatsu Tachibana

3-5-24 Minamimikunigaokacho, Sakai Ward, Sakai City, Osaka Prefecture

Google maps

Business hours: 11:00-14:00, 17:00-21:00
Closed: Thursdays
Phone number: 072-228-0466

Osaka's tonkatsu is diverse and interesting!

What do you think? We've compiled a list of 8 restaurants, from the most innovative and impressive to the high-end and classic, as well as famous cutlet sandwich and cutlet curry restaurants!
Although it is simply called tonkatsu, just like the city and people of Osaka, it has undergone many changes and continues to evolve.

Of course, the tonkatsu restaurants introduced here are just a few of Osaka's famous restaurants, and there are many more tonkatsu that you should try. Osaka's tonkatsu continues to evolve and diversify, so be sure to give it a try!

A person involved in this article

Text

Roman Naya

Photo

Roman Naya

Edit

Rie Tomimoto

Direction

NINGEN Editorial Department（NINGEN Inc.）

*The information listed is current as of February 2025. Please check the website of each store or facility for the latest opening hours.