Tanakatsu

Came here for dinner before movie in Angel. Nice place in terms of atmosphere. Portion and price is definitely on the pricier side. But delicious and good quality katsu Don is guaranteed!

Excellent chirashi bowl – freshly prepared fish and condiments with a lovely presentation. The miso soup was well-balanced (not too salty). Great service, and I loved that they provided a jug of water with mint leaves, along with a bottle of their secret dressing on the table. Highly recommend Tanakatsu!

Ordered Iberico pork don which was excellent. Love the bottomless cabbage! A staff called Mush was particularly friendly and welcoming. Would happily come back.

Came here for lunch. They have a lunch menu with good variety and reasonable prices. The food was tasty, portions were just right, and the service was friendly. Overall, a great dining experience, will definitely come back again.

Definitely the best pork I’ve ever had in London! The part for katsu is well selected. As tasty as what I once had in Japan~

Very yummy food and generous portions. I had the pumpkin croquette curry and i was full afterwards for hours (and it was really good). I also loved the selection of japanese lagers, ales, and sake. The atmosphere inside was lovely and the service was great. Also they brought us complementary tea after the food. Would definitely come back.

We were so impressed with this place! I’m in crutches and called in advance to get an accessible table. When I entered with my partner, they really took care of us, showed me where the disabled toilet was and let me know that if there’s anything I need help with I could ask them. It seems like a really small thing but in London you’d be surprised at how many places aren’t disabled friendly! In terms of the food, it was so amazing. Really hearty portions and free tea at the end! Thank you!

Very friendly staff members. Lovely lady was making an effort to learn Japanese. Pork was juicy and tender. Unlimited threaded cabbage and kona-cha (powdered green tea). Nice pork katsu sandwich and their special dressing was also nice.

We got a chance to find a Japanese Restaurant on our way to our hotel. We ordered the Pork Katsu Curry and Chicken Katsu Curry. The food was amazing and probably one of the best katsu curry I had. The portion was big as well and the meat was phenomenal. The restaurant has a good atmosphere to it and staff were really nice and welcoming. We also got a stamp card when dining in and will get a free meal on the 11th purchase which is good considering how tasty the food is. I can’t wait to go back and try the other items on the menu. Highly recommended place to try! 💯

Food was absolutely delicious. I’d recommend the chicken katsu and salmon sushi. Service was superb. They give you a cute candle on your table and replace the water without having to ask them. Very friendly staff. Toilets were clean. I’d say reserve a table if you’re going to go as it gets quite busy.

It’s a hidden gem that definitely worth the try. It was one of the most clean restaurants I have ever tried in London. The staff were friendly, the atmosphere was very cozy, and the food was amazing. However, make sure to be there from 12:00 to 3:00 PM, if you are willing to trying their lunch offer. Unfortunately, we missed it :(.

Highly recommmend this very authentic tonkatsu restaurant. This was the second time I came for lunch! (Before heading back to Sheffield) I know they have a good deal and good selection for lunch or in general but I still ordered the Pork Katsu set (including Prawn Katsu and Pumpkin Croquette) AGAIN upgraded with Iberia pork (definitely recommend to try this upgrade!) The pork is super tender and juicy, the crunchiness of breadcrum stays the same from the first bite to the last bite! The sauce for the pork is also very tasty. It also came with rice and bottomless cabbage which is fresh and crunchy with the dressing it's perfect! I asked for just a little bit of extra cabbage but the staff gave me a mountain of cabbage!! The staff are very welcoming and nice! This is the place I'll keep going back!!

I’m writing this review whilst sitting here drinking a wonderfully refreshing sparkling sake after a fabulous lunch. This is, hands-down, the best tonkatsu I’ve had outside of Japan (and it beats many of those I’ve had there too). Perfectly fried, retaining moisture in the centre. Unlimited cabbage is also a nice touch. The staff are attentive and friendly too. One tip: Book a few days in advance, as they’re generally fully booked for the whole weekend by Thursday. Will return and recommend.

Absolutely outstanding service, we felt very welcomed straight from the entrance, the food was fabulous and exceptional presentation. Would really recommend Chicken Katsu & Salmon Teriyaki, portion was big and worth every penny. A total gem spot! They have a selection of nice Sake.

I had a great meal at this restaurant! The atmosphere was relaxed, and the staff were very friendly. I asked for a recommendation and got the chicken katsu curry. The chicken was crispy on the outside and juicy inside, and the curry sauce had a nice tangy flavour. The fresh homemade dressing on the cabbage salad was a perfect touch—it made everything taste even better. The salad was bottomless, and I tried my best to find the bottom! At the end of the meal, they brought out complimentary Japanese tea, which was a really nice touch. I’ll definitely be back!

Even though I’m not really a true sushi lover, I decided to try this place with my friend and honestly, everything I had was super delicious! We ordered the Chicken Katsu Curry, and I highly recommend trying the side salad that comes with it, especially with the dressing on the table it’s a must! We also tried the Rainbow and Dragon rolls, and both were amazing. But if I had to choose one, I’d definitely go with the Rainbow roll. Also the staff is really attentive and friendly. ✨

What really stood out was the quality of the ingredients – you could taste the freshness in every bite. The ambiance was cozy, and the staff were incredibly welcoming and attentive. It's clear they take pride in delivering great food with excellent service. If you love tonkatsu, you simply cannot miss this place. Highly recommend for anyone looking for an authentic, top-notch tonkatsu experience!

delicious and authentic katsu dish. exceeded my expectations at this price point. similar to Tokyo standard. Friendly staff and nice design. Nothing to complain. Will definitely visit again.

Katsu set are really good. Pay extra $5 can have curry on the side. SO GOOOD!!! Cabbage salad taste so good with their vinegar. It is value for money and I will try again before I leave London.

I went there for my 21st birthday, so I made a reservation. I was not be disappointed at all, the atmosphere was great, the food was great the portions were very good and the pricing was fair, and the service was friendly. I definitely would recommend this restaurant, its a hidden gem in Angel just about 5 minutes away from the Tube station.

A hidden gem in a quiet back street of Islington. Cosy welcoming interior, and despite always being bustling inside the service is prompt and attentive. Delicious food and brilliant value for money.

It was recommended by my friends and to my surprise, the food was so tasty. I ordered the £20 katsu bento set. 🍱 it had fried chicken, fried pork, sushi, salad, rice and a soup. The portion is generous. The pork cutlet was fried, juicy on the inside and crispy on the outside. It should be eaten with the sauce on the side. The rice was cooked beautifully. It got quite busy and there was a queue. Make sure you make a reservation. I can’t wait to come back again.

The dining experience surpassed my expectations. Every dish was a delightful blend of flavors, and the presentation was artfully done. The chef's attention to detail truly elevated the overall enjoyment of the meal. A culinary masterpiece worth savoring again.

An authentic Japanese place just a short walk from Angel station. I really liked the minimalist and clean decor, all of which contributed to a cozy atmosphere. I ordered the pork katsu don. The pork itself was pretty good, though I feel like there could've been more egg! Also I wasn't sure what to do with the shredded cabbage and the staff very kindly suggested that we tried their homemade dressing (it was fantastic! I slathered my cabbage with the dressing)

Literally one of the best experiences we had in London. Amazing food and amazing service. Our waitress Ting was so so nice and kind and recommended amazing dishes. We had the gyoza, the katsu mix, the karaage and the salmon teriyaki and all of them were so insanely good. The gyoza and the salmon were the most surprising. Never had salmon so tender yet so crispy. The dessert was heaven, especially the chocolate truffle mochi. I cant wait to go again when I am in London.

Tried both the chicken katsu curry and the pumpkin katsu curry—absolutely delicious! The portions were generous, and everything was full of flavor. The chicken was crispy and tender, the pumpkin had a perfect texture, and the curry sauce tied everything together beautifully. Also, the shredded cabbage on the side was super fresh and surprisingly tasty. Highly recommend!

I booked for two ahead of going to the theatre. I asked online if it was possible to have a candle in my partner's main to celebrate her birthday, and they very happily obliged! Amazing staff. Incredible 10/10 food and a positive, happy atmosphere. 100% coming back 🙌

The people who work there are very nice, friendly, and kind. They make me smile :) The food is delicious, and I love the Pork Katsu don. I also enjoy their free hot tea service after the meal.

Very good spot. Amazing service, lovey people working here! I been here many times and every single time i am reminded! The complementary tea at the end is such a nice touch, most places in japan do that and yet when restaurants are opened abroad they seem to forget it. TANAKATSU does not!

Really delicious food and I especially appreciated how crisp the katsu was. The sweet potato croquette were especially yummy! The restaurant is accommodating of allergies and tell to find you a table even if you don't have a reservation.

10/10 service everyone was so so nice, atmosphere was great, decor is so pretty and so are the bathrooms, food was good but nothing crazy. got complimentary green tea at the end in the cutest cups

Very good tonkatsu restaurant in London. I ordered the pork katsu set and the portion is great for the price! The pork is a bit tougher than I would have wanted and I hope the mustard and miso soup come with the set and not ordered separately but for what it is, it is very good

Tanakatsu – A Hidden Gem in Barbican for Japanese Comfort Food If you’re looking for authentic, no-nonsense Japanese comfort food in London, Tanakatsu near Barbican is a spot that delivers. I recently visited for lunch and tried their pork katsu and chicken teriyaki, and both dishes exceeded expectations. The pork katsu was the standout. The breadcrumb coating was light and crisp without being greasy, and the pork inside was perfectly cooked — juicy, tender, and full of flavour. It was served with finely shredded cabbage and a classic tonkatsu sauce that added a nice balance of tanginess and sweetness. This is easily one of the best katsu dishes I’ve had in London — comforting, satisfying, and cooked with care. The chicken teriyaki was also very good. The glaze was on the sweeter side, but not overpowering, and the chicken was grilled nicely with a slight char that added depth. It paired well with the fluffy rice and vegetables on the side. While the pork katsu stole the show for me, the chicken teriyaki was still a solid choice, especially if you enjoy bolder, saucier flavours. Tanakatsu has a minimalist interior — clean lines, warm lighting, and a calm vibe that makes it perfect for a quiet lunch or casual dinner. The service was quick and friendly without being overbearing, and prices are reasonable for central London. Overall, Tanakatsu nails the basics: quality ingredients, thoughtful preparation, and a menu that sticks to what it knows best. Whether you’re craving a crunchy katsu or a comforting bowl of teriyaki, this place won’t disappoint. I’ll definitely be returning — and next time, I might try their katsu curry or the salmon option. Rating: 4.5/5 – Worth the visit for anyone who loves good Japanese food.

The layout of the restaurant is well made. I felt at peace and not anxious to talk as the mood was delicate yet inviting. The staff are super friendly and helpful !! I ordered the chicken teriyaki and katsu with the blood orange juice ! I preferred the teriyaki for its moist and delectable feel on the tongue 🙂‍↕️ 10/10 !! The katsu was well deserved but I felt the sauce personally wasn’t for me on the chicken, yet I loved it soaking in the rice 🥲 so I suggest try both as you get a hefty portion of each in your bowl and it really does fill you up 😭

Great value for money and amazing Katsu. The curry, made with carrots and potatoes, had a lighter feel with sweet notes, complementing the perfectly crispy-on-the-outside, tender-on-the-inside Katsu. The seaweed salad was fresh, the sashimi was nice, and the gyoza was excellent with a flavorful filling. The staff were also incredibly lovely.

I was going to a pub near Angel, but rough pub foods are not my favourite, checked the google map found this one, have no idea it’s that popular. I didn’t book, but a friendly black guy was so efficient and professional, sort out my table seamlessly. I took a glance into the kitchen, and told my friend, “oh, all white chefs !”how surprising, tbh, I was expecting full Japanese team, but I like surprises. Well, as an Oriental boy, I am so used to the taste of Japanese deep fried pork chop, with or without curry. I went to some original restaurants in japan just for Pork Katsu. And of course I had some cover versions elsewhere around Asia. Still, Japanese made the best. I took my friend to here, first thing she told me, this restaurant is on her must-try bucket list. She ordered the Pork Katsu Set, I picked the Pork Katsu Curry, and a glass of Prosecco. The first bite of the crunchy pork meat brings me all the good memories of eating this simple delicious dish. The taste is really close to the famous one in Tokyo. And most importantly, it doesn’t have the weird pork meat taste that you can easily found in UK both in restaurants or you buy them in supermarkets. I don’t think their meats are delivered from Japan, but they must be carefully choosing them. And the portion is big enough for boys, my friend said her set it’s a bit big for her. Well, I was happy to help her finish the rest. The curry source was so smooth and buttery, typical Japanese curry, not spicy but slightly sweet in a good balance. I’m always happy for myself for finding good restaurants without reading any review. With a clean tidy environment, wonderful friendly service, happy customers surrounding you, you know, you are gonna have a good meal here.

This is my second time at Tanakatsu. The service and the staffs are brilliant, they are attentive and responsive. I would give 5 stars to my first visit, but this time was not as great as the first one. I had the Pork Katsu Set again - The pawn katsu and pumpkin croquette were perfectly fried; however I found the pork lost all the juice, and the batter detached from the meal, even the pork sat on a cooling rack, the batter was still too moist, the texture wasn’t great. The signature of the place is their salad dressing, I can drink it! The dressing went soooooo well with the thinly sliced cabbage. (tip: unlimited refill of cabbage salad)

Authentic Japanese cuisine is rarely found within the United Kingdom. I tried the pork katsu set, which came with a fried shrimp and pumpkin croquette—absolutely delicious. The rice had a texture reminiscent of what I’ve experienced in Japan, and the shredded cabbage was unexpectedly sweet and fresh, with free refills. I recommend trying the chicken cutlet. The teriyaki salmon was also top-notch. Service was outstanding, and the restaurant only added a 7.5% service charge, making it more affordable than most places in London. After the meal, they offered a complimentary cup of green tea to help cleanse the palate.

The katsu curry and the chicken teriyaki were both really good, as the pork was super crispy and the chicken was well-seasoned and tender. My friend and I also enjoyed the sauce for the cabbage, as it had a great balance of sour, sweet and salty. Unfortunately, the service wasn’t quite as great. When we asked for the bill, we politely asked to have the discretionary service charge removed as we’re students. The waiter questioned the request, and said that he was a student too, and we should be pay “full price” and not be entitled to any “discounts”. He then asked to see our student IDs and followed up with a few other questions about our university. While he did remove the service charge in the end, the conversation felt unnecessary.

I had really high hopes for this place. I happened to be walking past, it was lunchtime, I saw the high rating on google maps and decided to check it out. Boy, was I disappointed. The miso was possibly the saltiest miso i’ve ever had in my life, it was actually undrinkable. I don’t know what they did to it. Had to wash it down with some water. Although the bento visually looked kind of promising, the sushi was very clearly not fresh and tasted very odd. I only managed to brave the two small pieces, but it was possibly some of the worst sushi i’ve ever had in London. It simultaneously tasted completely bland and like it was past its sell-by date. I also don’t think that the fish inside was sushi grade at all judging by the cut. The two pieces to the right with shrimp and salmon I couldn’t even touch, they smelled weird and rancid. The teriyaki salmon on top of the rice had a really weird earthy type taste which Im pretty sure fish isn’t supposed to have. It was also cold on the inside which leads me to think it was reheated. I couldn’t finish it. The rice underneath tasted bitter (?!). Probably explains why I’ve been doubled over with intense stomach ache for the rest of the day today. The “seaweed” salad was mostly salad leaves which HAD SAND IN IT. The croquette tasted factory made. (I think I even know which brand it is.) The pink pickled ginger once again, tasted weirdly mouldy. Didn’t know that was even possible! I didn’t see any actual mould on it but you know that feeling when you bite into a piece of bread and the you can taste the mould even though its not overtly visible? It was the same here. The fried chicken was probably the only edible thing out of the whole set and even then, I wasn’t super convinced by how pink the chicken seemed on the inside when I bit into it. It felt undercooked. It’s a real shame, could have been a nice meal. Definitely a waste of money. The person who took my order was nice and polite though! The only positive really.