Editor's Choice
- Solo
- Casual
A 1939 Meguro institution where white-clad chefs fry plump pork cutlets in a theatrical open kitchen, plating them with endless free refills of cabbage and rice.
Can I eat here?
We haven’t confirmed specific diets here yet — use the phrasebook to show staff what you can and can’t eat.
PhrasebookReserve & verify
Details
- Address
- 1-1-2 Shimomeguro, Meguro-ku, Tokyo
- Nearest station
- Meguro Stn (West Exit), 2 min
- Cuisine
- Tonkatsu (fried pork cutlet)
- Price
- ¥¥
- English menu / support
- ✓
- Signature
- Rosu-katsu (loin cutlet), endless cabbage & rice refills
Tonkatsu Tonki has been frying pork cutlets in the same quiet corner of Meguro since 1939, and it remains one of the standard reference points for the dish in Tokyo — a fixture on Tabelog's "Top 100 Tonkatsu in Japan" list in multiple years between 2017 and 2021. The draw isn't novelty; it's the ritual. A long counter wraps around an open kitchen on the ground floor, and diners can watch cooks bread, fry, rest, and slice each cutlet to order. A second floor with tatami seating handles overflow, though it loses the view of the kitchen.
The menu is deliberately narrow: hire-katsu (lean pork loin) and rōsu-katsu (fattier loin), both served as a set with rice, miso soup, pickles, and a mountain of shredded cabbage that staff will refill on request. There's no elaborate side menu to parse — the real choice is lean versus fatty, and how much cabbage you want.
Expect to pay in the roughly ¥2,000–2,999 range for a set, based on Tabelog's listed price band (menu prices can shift, so treat this as a rough guide rather than a quote). Tonki does not take reservations for small groups — solo diners and pairs queue on the wooden benches outside during busy hours — but tables of four or more can reserve ahead by phone. A multilingual menu, including English, is available, which makes ordering straightforward even without Japanese.
One honest caveat for travelers with dietary restrictions: this is a pork specialist through and through, with no vegan, vegetarian, or halal-certified options on the menu — it simply isn't a fit for those diets. Diners with gluten concerns should ask staff directly, since the batter and sauces aren't confirmed gluten-free.
Tonki is a two-minute walk from the west exit of Meguro Station on the JR Yamanote Line. It's closed on Tuesdays and the third Monday of each month, and serves dinner hours only, roughly 4:00–9:00 PM.
Last verified Jul 2026
Hours and details can change — please confirm before you visit.
