⚠️ As of January 2024 the Akabane branch is closed. Other branches remain open though the original Monzen-Nakacho store is still take-out only.
Tonkatsu Marushichi (とんかつ 丸七)
⭐⭐⭐
🐷 Tonkatsu / 📍Monzen-Nakacho/Tsukishima/Akabane/Fukagawa
📓 Visits: 1
Marushichi claims to serve the thickest tonktatsu in the Japan. The original restaurant is in Monzen-nakacho and reports were that queues start as early as 6am. Such is the success there are now three more branches. The are a few differences between the menus summarized below. A take-away katsu-sando is available at all stores as well. Note that the original restaurant is currently open for takeout only.
On my visit I went to the Akabane branch because I was traveling that way that day and because they take reservations. The booking process is detailed on a pinned post on the restaurant's Instagram account. You need to be able to read and write Japanese to book. I'll summarize it below but note that it could change.
There are 4 slots per day. On weekdays you can book via Instagram DM on the day between 7am and 10am with the following information:
I sent my DM at exactly 7am and received an acceptance response in a couple of minutes.
You can also book in person on the signup sheet that's posted in front of the restaurant from 10am on weekdays but most likely they'll already be fully booked. On my visit on a weekday at 12:40 there was just one space remaining for the 3pm/last slot. On weekends and holidays bookings can only be made in person and start at 9:30.
The door opened exactly at the reservation time and guests were called in in reservation order. The restaurant seats six and all the bowls were prepared at once. The tonktatsu had already been cooked and the rice was already sitting in bowls.
There are a few condiments to accompany the tonktatsu (from left to right) ponzu, shichimi, salt, yuzu kosho, wasabi.
Although both the rosu and rib rosu are 300g the rosu looked bigger to me. The rib rosu has better flavour so I was happy with my choice. The meat had good flavour. There was a lot of fat, which is to be expected from rib rosu, which I left. The panko was the thin type. The pickles were decent and the miso soup OK. You can barely see it but there is egg under that katsu, in the style Zuicho pioneered.
Overall I thought this was reasonable value for money. The Instagram reservation system is very convenient and I like the fact there's minimal waiting at the restaurant. On the downside the rice was cheap and I didn't like the way the all the bowls were prepared at the same time. The food was lukewarm towards the end and I felt like the chef could just as easily prepare each bowl one by one. There's no atmosphere: the chef just explained the condiments, disappeared while the whole room ate in silence and came back to take payment. Well, if you're looking for vibes perhaps you should go to a club instead.
I might visit again but try a different branch in the hope that the katsudon might be prepared in less of a production line. But my new go-to for tonkatsu is now (review to come) Kuraji: 300g of rib rosu for JPY 1,540. Either way, I'd still recommend "Katsudon wa" over Marushichi: it's cheaper and there's more love.
📌 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)
An Ikebukuro branch opened on 1st August 2023. The menu is the same as the Tsukishima branch minus the 600g rib rosu and prices are 2-300 yen higher. Walk-ins only.
❓ My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ 3.9
📱 Booking: 🟧 See above.
📅 Visit March 2023
Rib rosu katsudon
💴 Damage: 2,400 (cash or PayPay only)
⏱️ Time taken: 25m
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