Katsu-Hama Reviews

The reason for the 2 stars lies within the waiter at the restaurant. The Katsu we ordered was pretty good. Almost like Japan, unlimited cabbage(Japan is more finely shredded), Crispy on the outside, but did have some very fatty areas where one piece could not be eaten. We had ordered Kim Chee Tofu. My husband was eating it and I decided to try it and the tofu was sour, which means it was no good to eat. They did bring out another order, which was much better and tasted great. After receiving the check and paying with my credit card, I left a pretty good tip, just slightly under 20%, because of the the food issues we had. The waiter comes back and tells me they cannot accept my tip because it must be double of the tax and mine fell short by a few cents. I was astonished and surprised that he was telling me this, as I have never encountered anyone telling me this before. That got me really upset and pissed off that I didn't want to leave any tip at all for the comment this waiter gave to me. I looked the laws up and restaurants cannot tell this to you. It is plain out rude and disrespectful. I have never been treated like that before. I will stick to eating Tonkatsu when I go back to Japan for vacation. Sorry I wont be back.

I looked for a nearby ramen place, and although this was not the place i remembered from previous trips - I was pleasantly surprised. Very good ramen, very attentive service, inexpensive.

Tired and bothered from shopping this came up in a google search for nearby lunch restaurants - my three companions all had Chicken katsu curry with shredded cabbage which they all agreed was very good. I ordered one of the the lunch specials - sashimi and katsu set which was really tasteful and very well presented. It was something I wouldn't normally order and I was pleased with my choice. Unfortunately the service was somewhat lacking. That said it suited our purpose for the day and I would definitely eat there again.

Love this authentic places. Came solo and had a quick satisfying lunch. The pork was tender, the rice was soft and the egg was perfectly soft boiled. I asked for a side of vegetables and got crisp cabbage. USD25 for 1 person

The price was not expensive at all, and it was actually good Japanese food. I've eaten at a lot of different ramen places and this one had good meat. Their pork katsu was my favourite and they give decent portions. Conveniently located next to my hotel too!

Ate lunch here with my husband and another couple. Each couple had a Pork Curry and a Ramen Gyoza set. Both were delicious and we traded plates back and forth trying to decide which one is better - get one of each! The Ramen broth is nothing short of magical and the pork curry sauce is so rich and spicy. Gyozas were perfectly cooked; a little heavy on the green onions for my taste, but still very nice. This is a 2nd floor walk up and seating is tight, but not too tight. We were lucky to get a window seat. Prices are very reasonable and the food is delicious.

If you like katsu this is the place. Yes it does sushi and a few other things but get yourself one of the katsu options with rice and pickles plus a large tankard of draught beer for a meet seven dollars and you’re all set. We were to families and they were very attentive and helpful with the kids who loved the food. Glad we found it.

The food very traditional is definitely palatable. The service is rather "light", the ambiance is spartan but clean.

Just get any of the Katsu's, you won't regret it. It comes with a complimentary cabbage salad with their amazing sesame dressing and lots of rice. I really love their curry sauce with mushrooms and a side of pickled radish- it compliments each other so well. There's not many places I can say, have better katsu than this restaurant.

I am delighted that my friend introduced me to this place. It is up a flight of stairs, so you really have to be "introduced" to this gem. We both had the prix fixe which was only $25 for Excellent miso soup, appetizer,entree,rice , dessert and Tea. The food was delicious Japenese food and most of the clientele were Japanese which says a great deal.

a specialized Katsu restaurant with good food. Comfort food. Would good there again. The katsu was prepared perfectly.

I tried both 48th and 55th branch. And they offer various selection of lunch set $12-20 around, Which include miso soups,cabbage salad,Japanese puckles with main. $12 Katsu lunch is good value. But it's very crowded around lunch so past 13:00 might be better.

Great katsu, just like in japan. Very crispy on the outside and moist in inside. Cabbage with sesame dressing was great too. Service isnt what you'd expect from a japanese restaurant. Portions might be small for those with big appetite, but thats keeping with the authenticity of it, you won't find any supersized meals if you Tokyo either

This was a busy place on a Tuesday for lunch. I ordered the pork tenderloin katsu curry with the A-set, which includes pork and vegetable miso soup as well as potato salad. The curry had rich flavor and came in a massive bowl. With the A-set items added in, it was a lot of food for the price. Their menu was pretty large and given the number of people dining in for lunch, you know this is the real deal authentic.

My party of four arrived at Katsu around noon. We were the given the last table available. This is an amazing lunch spot. Get there early because it is small and fills up fast. I had never heard of Katsu. It is fried Japanese pork or chicken. We all ordered the lunch box. Worth every penny! It was huge. Tuna, salmon, and fish sashimi to start. It was ice cold and fresh as can be. Next were homemade pickles and soup. There were several sauces on the table. Once the salad and fried chicken arrived, I watched other tables to see how they prepare their meal. You grind sesame seeds and add them to a rich peanut sauce, then dip your chicken. Every bite of the lunch was a new exciting taste. Try this spot if you have never had Katsu!

We did a search on Yelp. We were pleased with this location. The miso soup was very good. We had the chicken Katsu. It was very tasty .

Definitely the best katsu curry chicken in town. It was not pricey in comparison to the other places either. It was just really good.

This restaurant used to be the sister restaurant, Menchanko-Tei, one of the best ramen restaurants in NY if not anywhere. Now it serves the Tonkatsu and the ramen as the Menchanko Tei space on 55th street is no longer. So overall, though the variety isnt fully the same, the ramen noodles are still very good and the broth is very good. As it is close to the office, and next to the Shoreham, I find this a win-win. Ramen places have popped up everywhere from NY to LA, etc., but this place is very traditional still and among the best. The noodles are firm and medium width. Broth is flavorful. Save the new-fangled places for trendsetters and foodies, this place is the real deal.

Recently went on a trip to Japan and nailed a lot of katsu curry This places food tastes really authentic and offers the Katsu in both pork and chicken which is good because in Japan all katsu specialists also offer both options. Service was fine for lunch - no problems at all

I know this is NY and that's the norm but left ~14% tip and waiter asked for at least 18%. This seemed disrespectful and honestly it caught us by surprise. Even though the food was pretty good I won't be returning.

If you like tonkatsu - this place is for you. The batter is fluffy and the meat is tender. Not as good as Japan obviously but a solid option for NYC. Their katsu w/ curry is pretty solid - definitely recommend.

We enjoyed our lunch sets very much. Miso soup was good, Ramen as well, green tea with it also good. Had seats by the windows, seating was nice enough even though it was not terribly comfortable. Good place for quick lunch, not really No 1 choice for a romantic dinner though

This was a place that we frequented regularly for Japanese lunches in midtown. However, recent visits have shown the restaurant to be going downhill significantly. We've noticed a pretty marked increased on numerous items on the menu not being available, and quality dropping other dishes, something is amiss somewhere. Service is over-the-top friendly in that typical Japanese-like style, but in this case, not genuine. We appreciate the Japanese beers, but some form of craft or IPA offering would be much more appreciated.

Finding decent lunch options in midtown is always challenging. While lunch was a bit much for a typical lunch, it was nice for a little nicer of a lunch.

I had edmame as starter, sashimi , soup and several other items. They are all delicious. The service was very good, too.

We arrived at about 2pm and waited for 20 mins to be seated. The lady who took our order was not patient in helping us with our orders. The pork katsu was rubbery and I could not chew it very well. I was told that this is their signature dish:-) For its price I would expect a better quality. Four of us had a bill of over $120 including tips (four meal sets with drinks) Disappointing and would not come back again!

I love Matsui, and this was well presented, but I could only eat half because of the fatty cut of pork. The ramen was very good

We got in here quite late and night and they did manage to scrounge katsu-curry's and a few more dishes for us. Don't go for the service or decor, but a nice place otherwise.

This was our first visit, but we love katsu and this was close by our hotel so we decided to give it a try. We went before 5pm so we were seated early. We tried the katsu curry, nabe miso katsu and kimchee nabe. The curry has an indian or thai influence since it had a hint of coconut milk..which is not in japanese curry. The flavor was unexpected so it was a bit disappointing. The miso sauce on the katsu was dark and gritty which was way too bold of a flavor and very salty. It took away from the pork flavor. I did like that the gozen set came with a pork miso soup that was more of a salty stew. The cabbage was plentiful and the potato salad needed more flavor. Overall the flavors are too salty for a japanese katsu restaurant. Japanese food should have subtle flavors so you can enjoy the natural flavors of the meat. I understand why this place is popular though, the price point is affordable for the amount of food you get. Not going back though.

After walking for almost an hour, felt hungry and saw this Japanese restaurant along 47th St. There were queue outside so I told myself, food must probably good. I was not disappointed. Ordered chicken katsu meal. Waited for about 10 minutes but the wait was worth it. The chicken katsu was done in perfection. Tender and crispy inside out. Servers were attentive and friendly. Come early if you’re craving for Japanese food. You wow my be disappointed

After you spend time at Central Park, MOMA or Columbus circle, if you need a nearby place to sit down and chill out a bit with some nice home made Japanese food, this ramen and tonkatsu restaurant is the place to go. It’s actually on the second floor and very subtle but comfortable atmosphere. Staff are friendly and welcoming. I had tonkatsu style porkloin (coated in breadcrumbs and fried with egg) and sticky rice. The presentation looked just like an ordinary home cooked meal, but when I had first bite, the meat was very juicy and tender. And, particularly, the sticky rice was so perfectly cooked and tasty that I would have no problem just having another bowl of it!:) This restaurant is truly a hidden gem in the middle of all the happenings!

This place doesn't look much, but climb the stairs for great value katsu. The lunch deal for 13$ is such good value! I ate here twice in 4 days in NYC. Good staff, basic wine list, cheap beer. And did I mention fantastic Katsu???

Well located in mid-town (47th street off of 5th Ave), this is an unpretentious japanese quick lunch place serving mostly tonkatsu (traditional Japanese breaded pork). Comes with Rice and Miso soup (which were good) as well as very thinly sliced cabbage and hot Chinese mustard. All of that was good, but the pork itself was a little tough and the Tonkatsu sauce was very strong, suggesting that it was not as fresh as it could be. Not a bad place, but I wouldn't rush back if I wasn't starving and around the corner. Very reasonable prices.

We were excited to find a little hole in the wall Japanese restaurant with good katsu in the city. We are from Hawaii and have eaten some of the best. It's a small place (47th ave) and there was a line. We were sat pretty quick and our waitress was pretty good when we first sat and placed our order. My husband and my meal came pretty fast and was really good. My 3 kids didn't get there food for almost 30 more minutes. My waitress was either rushing past us or no where to be found. When I finally caught her to ask where the kids food was she said another server took the order so they had to redo it. Had I not asked she never would have told us. I made a comment when I was paying and that was disregarded. Food was great, service wasn't.

I came here with my friends for weekday lunch. We were seated right away. They do have a lot of options for lunch special. We ordered lunch box set and katsu curry. I like the curry and pork chop. The pork chop was crispy outside and juicy inside. The lunch box did come with sashimiplate, miso soup, pork chop and some veggies. It's a good combo for people who like to try several things at once. I like the food and location but the service is not that nice. The waiter gave us the attitude and was very slow. I would recommend to come here to get take-out lunch rather than dine in. This way, you can enjoy your food somewhere without taking the attitude from the waiter.

Food is delicious! Good japanese meal! Service is good! Servers were accomodating, fast and courteous. Atmosphere is abit down though, and place is tight and bathroom is not appealing. Spacing is close that you could hear other table. Waiting time is also long if peak hours. Accepts credit/debit. No high chairs. Not a place for a family with toddlers or preschoolers

I can see how others may have given lower ratings for this joint. However, if you know what you're going for and what to expect then I'd say great. They offer very vary tasty katsus. Fish, chicken, pork are all options. Additionally the cabbage salad and miso soup are refillable at no charge. Their curry is also delicious. Nice amount of onions and not overly spicy, just enough to give you that kick. I'm giving it five stars due to that and also that they're not pretending to be a fancy joint. They know they offer a quick meal, but dam is it tasty for 15 bucks.

I used to go to Menchanko-Tei on 45th Street, so when we found ourselves in Rockefeller Center my family and I decided to have lunch at the one on 55th. After walking seven blocks, we stared dumbfounded at the restaurant that was supposed to be Menchanko-Tei... and it wasn't there (there was nothing on its website indicating that it was closed). Luckily my daughter saw the sign that Katsuhama was serving most of Menchanko-Tei's dishes (I didn't know they were sister restaurants). I ordered the stuff from Menchanko-Tei (ramen and champon). We were pleased with the soups: the broth was very good and piping hot, and the noodles had great texture. My son got the chicken katsu, which was done well--crisp and not too greasy. The service was a bit inconsistent, however: nobody came with our menu, so I stood up and picked up a couple that I saw in the corner. On the other hand, service picked up after that, drinks were promptly served and refilled, and our server even took the time to explain some parts of the menu and told my son how to make the sauce for his chicken katsu. On the whole, we liked it here and we'll be back. Next time we might even branch out from our Menchanko-Tei favorites to try the dishes offered by Katsuhama.

This is the place I go when if I’m in midtown. I have been going to this restaurant for a few years now. And I love it. Best Katsu if you ask me. The place is cozy and with a typical Japanese feel. The staff is always nice and on point. I have tried many dishes but always come back for the katsu curry or katsu don. It comes with shredded cabbage salad (free refill) and their delicious homemade dressing. There has never been a time when this restaurant disappointed me. Very consistant thru the years. I will be back for sure.

Came here on a Sunday to try out the katsu (pork cutlet). Ordered it with the curry rice and it was delicious. Meat was tender and tasty. Good price and I recommend it.

Our son made reservations for this place and recommended the curry and it was amazing. The service was fast and the whole family enjoyed it!!! I would go back in a heartbeat!!!

We wandered around after a visit to MOMA looking for a late lunch. Saw the sign, ambled up a flight of stairs and figured why not. Very traditional Japanese style restaurant. Not huge, but a lot of seating. Menu offered many choices. We had the Gyu-Meshi, Tonkatsu Ramen, and the Shrimp Katsu plus an order of Gyoza. We found everything well prepared and the portion sizes more than adequate. Given it's midtown location, we did not find the prices to be out of line at all. The service was pleasant and our waiter very helpful. Would certainly return.

We saw this place as we were wandering around the city. Thanks to TripAdvisor reviews we decided to have lunch and boy are we glad. The Katsu was not only served hot and crispy but the meat was moist and flavorful. We ordered the lunch special Ton Katsu and Katsu Curry. Very generous portions. Would definitely eat here again.

Came here for dinner at around 7 pm on a Friday night. Ordered the agedashi tofu ($6.75), sashimi & Katsu set ($22) and pork katsu ($14). Our total dinner for 2 without tip was $46.54. Enjoyed this curry more than Go Go Curry the sauce and pork was very tasty. The sashimi and katsu set was great value with a lot of food.

We came across this place as we were staying in Midtown. There were quite a few Asian people eating here when we walked in, being Chinese ourselves, we always joke this is a good sign about the food. We weren't wrong. I had the half and half katsu curry (half chicken half pork) and it was SO good. Portion sizes were huge, I couldn't finish it. My sisters opted for the lunch box which was even more food than I had and a great variety of things to eat. Prices are very reasonable - I would highly recommend a visit, enjoy!

I love katsudon, so I was very happy to find this restaurant which specializes in katsu (fried pork or chicken) dishes. There was lots on the menu to choose from, but I ended up trying the basic tonkatsu lunch platter which came with delicious miso soup, all-you-can-eat white rice and cabbage salad, and a nice portion of panko fried pork. It was good, as was the katsudon dish that my wife and daughter ordered. I'll admit it wasn't the best I've ever eaten, but it was certainly good enough for me to want to come back. Or better yet, I'm hoping this small restaurant chain (just two locations in NYC) would open a location in my home town (Washington, DC).

The best Katsu I ate outside of Japan. Simple delicious, go without hesitation. Expect a queue after 6pm but you can go for late lunch as they open all day long

Katsu-Hama is a relatively inexpensive Japanese restaurant in midtown Manhattan. Katsu translates roughly as "cutlet" and this second floor restaurant specializes in cutlets of pork, chicken, and beef. It also has wonderful noodle dishes (udon and raman). Every time I've been there (always around noon), I have been one of very few western faces in the room. The food here is really carefully cooked and very fresh, the condiments are delicious, the service is wonderful. The wait staff is really friendly and always smiling, despite being run off their feet. It's a busy, busy place. It's a katsu place. You won't get sushi here. We were in and out of there today in 45 minutes. It could have been faster if we hadn't lingered. Three people got complete lunches for $45.

Great food. Excellent tonkatsu. The salmon was the best, but the chicken was excellent as well. Each order comes with goma (sesame seeds) to grind as your garnish. Only drawback is the wait staff, who seem almost indifferent to the presence of customers.

very good! the half and half tonkatsu curry was delicious. the large portions, fast service. highly recommended!

The chicken is oily, soggy and chewy. One of the pieces I got had a piece that was literally a piece of soggy skin. Do not recommend this place. It simply wasn’t fried fresh... There are plenty of better katsu places in NYC.

This used to be one of my staples. I love tonkatsu and used to eat it often when I lived in Japan. Katsuhama was one of the most authentic places for a cut of breaded pork. However it went until new management and changed in a bad way. The prices went up, and they stopped the refills of rice, soup, and cabbage. It might sound like I’m complaining but the refills are a part of true Japanese tonkatsu culture. Losing that takes a little bit away from the experience.

I loved the cozy atmosphere of the place. I had curry which was amazing. The ramen is supposed to be great here as well. Paid $13 at lunch for a generous portion.

First night in NYC and we were happy to find a reasonably priced restaurant that had really good food. Service was good. Decor is basic. We noticed quite a few Asians dining, which said to us the food is authentic and good. We would have gone back but with only 5 nights to eat out, we wanted to try other restaurants.

This used to be one of my favorite spots for dinner. It was a very authentic Japanese style tonkatsu restaurant. For those of you who haven’t had this treat before, it’s amazing. You order a delicious pork chop that is breaded in crispy panko and deep fried. It’s always served with thin shredded crisp cabbage, white rice, miso soup, and pickles. In traditional style, everything that isn’t the meat is served with unlimited refills. I don’t know if this place has gone under new management or just is stingy but they have reduced the ability to get refills on the miso soup. For me this is one of the best parts so I’m kind of disappointed. And to tell you the truth, miso soup can not be that expensive to the establishment. The servers also seem not too interested in helping you with refills. I had to ask for a refill of rice twice before the waiter reluctantly went to get me a bowl. I used to go out of my way to have this treat whenever I came to the city. Now I’m probably going to pass.

Came here for a light dinner after a big brunch and lots of walking. Their menu expanded quite a bit since our last time here, which was a few years ago. The variety was quite impressive. Besides, tonkatsu, they also have lots of noodles and other dishes like sukiyaki to choose from. We had Grill Beckshire pork, Takoyaki and sashimi as appetizers, which were all very good. Always order from their daily special menu. The tonkatsu was light and flakey on the outside, tender and juicy on the inside. My daughter had a Menchanko. Tasty with lots of seafood on top. The noodles were a bit on the chewy side though. Overall it's very satisfying. Price is reasonable considered it's midtown Manhattan. Will definitely be back.

An easy place to recommend if you like Katsu. The food is good overall (Donburi, Noodles) and the katsu and shredded cabbage are especially fine. Both food and drinks are very modestly priced by NYC standards and the service is excellent. It's also roomy by NYC standards and the little room near the entrance can be especially comfortable and private.

Would have given a four if the food came out on time. The food came out after 45 minutes. I had to ask three times to get my katsu. I was so upset that I forgot to take the pic and just devoured it. The katsu is actually quite good. And many Japanese people dined around me. Still 45 minute wait and three time requesting was unacceptable.

My husband and I stayed in New York for a week and probably ate here about 3 times. It was so delicious! The udon was perfect for a cold winter night. We were lucky that our hotel was right next door! Also, we were really happy that they had some vegetarian options. Really, you can't go wrong with any of the noodle dishes. I can't wait until we return to New York, we will definitely be coming back to Katsu-Hama!

Last December I visited New York with my family during holidays. I’ve always been a fan of Japanese food and a couple years before I had the opportunity to try an authentic Japanese dish called Tonkatsu. This restaurant just so happened to specialized in that dish, so me and my family decided to give it a try. We arrived late in the evening and had to wait a short while because finding a table for 3 people is harder than just a pair. The waiting time was short and the service was excellent, just like in your typical restaurant in Japan. The food was fast to arrive and the atmosphere was great. I would mark it as a sort of quiet, peaceful place. I would totally recommend it if you are looking for an authentic Japanese meal.

Stopped in here for a quick lunch. Service was good. Food was served quickly. Miso soup was very tasty. Draft beer was served in a frosted mug. Katsu pork was delicious. Breading was ver light and crisp. Free refills on rice and cabbage salad. Prices were reasonable. Recommended for quick lunch if by grand central.

I have been looking for a good Japanese restaurant that serves Katsu. This place is great. Reasonable pricing. Would definitely be back

We ordered two appetizers, main dishes with rice and steamed vegetables(yummy) and a dessert (yuzu with green tea ice cream). My main was pork and shrimps, cabbage- there is dressing on a table and it was a delicious one- and a potato salad. I loved my food, it wasn’t greasy nor dry just perfect the way it was. Green tea ice cream was very tasty too.