Tonkatsu Marushichi

Tonkatsu Marushichi (とんかつ 丸七)

⭐⭐⭐

🐷 Tonkatsu / 📍Monzen-Nakacho/Tsukishima/Fukagawa/Ikebukuro/Ginza

📓 Visits: 2 (2023-2024)

Marushichi claims to serve the thickest tonkatsu in Japan.  The original restaurant is in Monzen-nakacho and reports were that queues started as early as 6am.  Things have calmed down a bit since then, partly because several branches have since opened and partly because the original restaurant was open for takeout only for a long while, only re-opening for dine-in since 1st Feb 2024.

My first visit to was to the Akabane restaurant in 2023 because I happened to be traveling that way that day and because they were the only branch that took reservations.  I thought it was reasonable value for money but didn't like the "production line" approach of serving six bowls of katsudon to everyone at the same time.  The Akabane branch has since closed but an Ikebukuro branch opened in 2023 and, most recently, a branch in Ginza where I made my second visit.

The are a few differences between the menus, summarized below.  Prices have gone up by 2-300 yen per item (the 600g rib rosu by 500 yen) since I last went.  A take-away katsu-sando for JPY 1,700 is available at all stores as well.



150g rosu
¥1,500

300g rosu
¥2,100
特上
300g rib rosu
¥2,600
特上 ½
150g rib rosu
¥2,100
極厚
600g rib rosu
¥4,000
Monzen-nakacho
Tsukishima
Ikebukuro
Fukagawa
Ginza

I chose the 300g rib rosu again, with small rice.

Food arrived after in under 15 minutes.  As before, there was a lot of fat, which is to be expected from rib rosu and which I left.  The panko was the thin type.  The pickles were standard and the miso soup OK.  You can barely see it but there is egg under that katsu, in the style Zuicho pioneered.

This visit was 10 minutes before last orders on a Saturday and I was the only person in the restaurant until it closed for the night.  I'd expect the restaurant to be busier once more people know about it and I'd expect a queue at lunchtimes already.  I like the fact that pricing is identical at all stores and there aren't many places in Ginza where you can get a complete and quality meal for JPY 2,000.  But the pork had less flavour than I expected and as such I've lowered my score and don't plan to return.  My go-to for katsudon is Katsudon makes you happy.  And my go-to for a cheap and decent rib-rosu is Kuraji (review to come).

📌 https://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1313/A131303/13263014/ (Monzen-Nakacho)
📌 https://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1313/A131302/13275008/ (Tsukishima)
📌 https://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1323/A132305/13273550/ (Akabane)
📌 https://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1313/A131303/13274719/ (Fukagawa)
📌 https://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1305/A130501/13287618/ (Ikebukuro)
📌 https://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1301/A130101/13297660/ (Ginza)

❓ My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ 3.7

📱 Booking: 🟩 The Monzen-Nakacho store is apparently by online reservation only, though Tabelog reviewers claim to have just walked in.  Other stores are walk-in only.  Menus in English, Chinese, Korean, Thai and Vietnamese at the Ginza store!

📅 Visit July 2024

Rib rosu katsudon

💴 Damage: 2,600
⏱️ Time taken: 30m

📅 Visit March 2023

Rib rosu katsudon

💴 Damage: 2,400 (cash or PayPay only)
⏱️ Time taken: 25m

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