every menu item is a banger. try to get there early though, they often are missing a few items at the end of the day. i always get a burger there, and the yuzu lemonade, while strange, is delicious and refreshing.

Stopped here for lunch not knowing what to expect, and it was AMAZING. I got the pork katsu bowl. It was SO MUCH food and delicious. As was the mint lemonade. Others got the pork katsu sandwich and pork katsu curry bowl. Everyone love it. Service was attentive and friendly. Place was very clean. Would definitely go back.

Great little place to eat, it's a little small might be difficult to find,/get seat, but it's great to get a quick small meal.

Went here on a whim for lunch. The Katsu was SO good. Really hot and crispy exterior with tender and flavorful interior. The buns they use for the sandwiches are also delicious. Fast service too!

Omg, I stumbled upon this place almost randomly when exploring the area but will definitely come back. The chicken katsu burger with Japanese curry sauce was delightful, and yuzu lemonade was both refreshing and not overly sweet. This small place is a pure delight, and I love that it’s family-run.

This place just does the trick. Simple rice bowls that are just warming and comforting. Get the salmon and ikura bowl!

This place is a gem! The burger was spectacular and the fries were some of the best I’ve ever had. Rounded out with a delicious iced tea. The staff are just the loveliest too. Add this to your places to visit!

food and vibes were amazing!!

Chicken & pork katsu burgers were fantastic. Also had the mascarpone cream puff, would definitely recommend.

Chef Katsu is the best! The food is so fresh and absolutely delicious. Try the Salmon Dashi Chazuke bowl on a cold day. The curries and burgers are fire. And the Salmon Ikura bowl tastes like a delicacy. If you just want a snack, a grilled rice ball and a miso soup would do the trick! Don’t miss the drinks and desserts as well! Everything is just the best and the staff are all super cool.

This ultra-clean, beautifully designed little nook serves up delicious Japanese fast food. Just like being in Tokyo!

Great Japanese rice bowl food. Local, friendly vibes. Good drinks. Ideal for a chat or to hang out with friends. Meal and a drink is about $22.

Delicious katsu, very small restaurant, not much seating. More takeout.

Simple menu but works well! Love the rice bowls taste so good.

Our go-to local spot. We've tried almost every dish, and each is solid. We find ourselves going back to the pork katsu bowl (the shishito peppers + radish are the perfect supporting acts), salmon chizuke (tasty, but not overbearing), or salmon teriyaki bowl (classic). The quality is consistently high. All staff are friendly. There isn't a ton of seating but if you don't see a spot upon arrival, don't be discouraged; takeout quality is just as good.

Chef Katsu is an extraordinary experience. First, it has the feel of a local, family-owned business in all the best possible ways. The people are upbeat, friendly, and community-oriented. The food is fresh and delicious. Everything about the place evokes the spirit I’ve encountered in my 40 years of relationships with Japan, Japanese people and culture, not to mention the heart and soul of Brooklyn and its vibrant Japanese ex-pat family. If you go to eat at Chef Katsu, you’ll walk away dreaming about your next visit.

From the food to the service to the atmosphere, the lunch I had here was phenomenal. We got the portobello teriyaki bowl and the chicken teriyaki bowl and both were fantastic. The dishes were simple and well-executed. The service was friendly and quick. Will definitely be back!

Chicken Katsu was amazing! Perfect portion and fair pricing. Staff were friendly. The matcha cake unfortunately was so dry like it was overcooked or old sadly. Stick to the fresh food. You won't be dissapointed.

Amazing food. I order from this place a few times a month. Highly recommend trying the deserts as well.

Great little restaurant serving tasty Japanese-inspired fare. The katsu bowl and burger are both very good options to go with. The prices were reasonable and our food came out fresh and delicious. I would recommend getting there a little early for dinner, since the space inside the restaurant fills up quickly. This restaurant gets busy on the weekends for a reason!

its like you take one bite and can’t stop eating…so good. The way the images of the food are online is exactly how the food looks when you get it. I always get the pork katsu and I’m never disappointed, their hojicha is really amazing as well.

Delicious lunch spot! I got the portobello katsu burger with cheese, yuzu lemonade and fries - all of which were yummy

Recommend the ice yuzu mint lemonade, chicken katsu burger with curry sauce and the salmon & ikura rice bowl and Japanese pudding (not pictured). It does get busy with many people waiting inside to order at the counter in addition to waiting for seating that is somewhat limited. Seating is first come first serve.

We ordered most of stuff on menus and all were heavenly delicious. My kid who usually eat only half of his brunch ate two bowls of salmon ikura don though portion was generous! He gladly finished his miso soup, lemonade and donuts too :) Burgers were excellent as before, of course. All drinks (usually lemonade, iced matcha latte, hot houjicha latte) was so good and large size for small size price!! Unfortunately, houjicha cream puff and yuzu cheese cake were not available but green tea an donut was so yummy, we cannot wait to gobs my to try them all!! The store was so popular and there were socially distant lines all the time and it makes sense as you can rarely get this high quality foods/ drink/ desserts at reasonable price anywhere else. True gem to the neighborhood and we are so happy Chef Katsu opened his beautiful restaurant here!!!

Nice atmosphere, super friendly staff, very reasonable prices. Crunchy and juicy katsu, good curry, and literally the best French fries in Brooklyn - not kidding. Crispy and light with a fluffy interior and very tasty.

Such a gem in Clinton Hill! Everything they serve is delicious and fresh including all the drinks and desserts!😍 You can see people working hard in the clean open kitchen. The food apperes to be casual but they taste authentic and I can see that Japanese chef Katsu truly cares about quality and details. The service is friendly and timely. I can't say enough good things about this cute eatery. This is my favorite go-to place in Brooklyn 💗

Fantastic neighbourhood katsu spot, love the clean and minimalist feel of the space. The salmon ikura bowl was also very good (and much healthier!). They often sell out of the desserts so we were lucky to get a slice of the yuzu cheesecake and it was divine!

very cute shop the chicken teriyaki bowl is rly good the miso is bad tho i recommend getting the hot yuzu mint lemonade i’ll be craving that for a while!

got the salmon katsu burger and it was delicious wow! very nice and mild flavor. I ended up adding spicy mustard at the end of my burger to give it a little kick, but I really didn’t mind the subtlety of it. comes on a brioche bun with slaw. so so good. I would definitely have it again! also it’s pretty filling. the atmosphere of the place is nice too-very much a local feel. the only negative is there’s barely any tables available, but I’m not sure what they can do to manage that since they’ve filled up the space with tables and chairs already, it’s just small. would definitely return!

Get a katsu burger and a yuzu mint lemonade and enjoy as you bask in the sunshine at a table out front or in the park across the street. Perfect food, perfect spot.

+4

The Japanese curry with pork katsu was 10/10 delicious. The pork katsu was perfectly fried, and the curry was rich and flavorful. Would also recommend the yuzu mint lemonade and yuzu cheesecake.

Been here a few times, so cozy, comforting and affordable

Delicious and reasonably priced katsu bowls.

sooooo fire but make sure to avoid 3:15-4:30 Tuesday - Sunday even though it says they’re open on google!

The chicken curry is truly fantastic at this wonderful neighborhood spot. Highly recommend, great flavors.

The katsu burger and salmon bowl are delicious! Killer yuzu mint lemonade and hoji cha latte 🍋

+4

Came on a rainy day. I got the salmon katsu pork katsu and chicken teriyaki burgers. It's what I expected delicious. I noticed this place because I saw that it was crowd funded. I'm a proud believer of supporting small businesses

I literally ate here a few hours ago & just needed to drop a 5 star review because it was fantastic & could go back again for dinner. A very light & filling meal & the Daifuku was outrageously delicious

Updated 2025-2026: The shrimp katsu burger is awesome. This past summer had a seasonal milk bread lobster roll that really hits the spot. Original review: Got the chicken katsu curry sando, its so good. The bun i think is japanese milk bread, fluffy white and slightly sweet. Chicken Katsu was perfectly moist and crunchy, and not at all greasy. Dont miss out!

Chef Katsu is a neighborhood favorite — super fresh food, awesome desserts, and good prices. I’m a big fan of the chicken katsu burger & teriyaki bowls. Everything is made fresh, the staff are super friendly, and delicious mint green tea lemonade. 5 stars all around :)

This is my favorite lunch place. The staff are all friendly and I love the owner and his wife. There are not many places where you can eat good Japanese food, but here you can eat with peace of mind. And at a low price! My favorite is the teriyaki salmon rice bowl, and I am also happy to be able to eat Japanese pickled vegetables.

One of my favorite katsu sandwiches in Brooklyn ! The pork is so good and the fries are so crunchy even after bringing them home they hold the crisp.

Khoi Pham

Simple and mighty spot for katsu dishes. Loved the chicken katsu curry. There is seating inside and outside. There's also a restroom. Reasonably priced, good portions, and casual vibes. Would recommend if you're in the neighborhood.

+1

Irene Zhao

Haven't seen any reviews mention their shrimp katsu sandwich, which I think is amazing. The patty tastes fresh and you can see whole pieces of shrimp in it, and yet it's still incredibly juicy and crispy. The bun is fluffy, the tartar sauce is perfect -- it's just such a well-done sandwich that you can't find in many places! As other reviews have mentioned, it's a small space, so it might be easier + more efficient to order takeout, especially at peak hours.

Bianca R

Great katsu at good prices. We tried the chicken katsu bowl which was delicious and the chicken curry katsu sandwich (good, but the pork one with the sweet sauce was better) as well as the pork katsu sandwich. The fries also particularly stand out. Would definitely come again! Place is small and seating is reduced so it’s probably better to do takeout.

Jackie Gordon Singing Chef

Finally got to try this place! We were warned by Google that it was busy on a Saturday afternoon and it was but the tables move. I wanted to order everything on the menu but settled on a chicken teriyaki burger, a shio koji marinated salmon dashi Rice bowl with with nori, scallions that was very comforting and a very nice green salad with a delicious dressing. Everything was delicious and reasonably priced. I really wish this place was in my neighborhood. We will definitely be checking it out again.

Cody Springer

This place is perfect for chilly nights out for a quick, warm, and yummy dinner. The Chicken Katsu bowl was delicious and I can’t wait to go back and try the Chicken Katsu Curry! Prices are so good and unbeatable. The lights outside give the place a cute vibe at night.

Andrea Dell'Anna

Took a trip from where I was staying in Manhattan to check out Chef Katsu in Brooklyn for lunch, and it didn’t disappoint. It’s a quaint spot, small and stylish, and the chicken katsu I ordered is easily the best I’ve had. They don’t serve alcohol, but they had this huge jug of freshly made lemonade that was perfect on a hot day. The vibe of the place is effortless, cool and hip. Would go back any day if I lived there.

Ari Matsumura

We went there all the way from Westchester because we heard great things about this place. I had a burger and it was so delicious! The Katsu was crispy. My daughter loved sake chazuke and my son loved his katsu curry. The Japanese pudding was superb!!! I thought the price was too good as they make everything from scratch. As a Japanese person it’s hard to find authentic Japanese food in NY. I would go to this place everyday if we lived near it. Definitely come back again!

Brandon

absolutely yummy food. second time going there and i ordered the salmon katsu sandwich and red bean matcha ice cream buns. i love this cozy neighborhood staple. cannot stress how yummy the food is. my partner had the salmon dashi chazuke and loved it as well. will be back!

Yat Sang Yan

I am very happy to try the Chef Katsu, fresh and tasty salmon bowl, and pork and chicken katsu burger, so good and delicious. Price is affordable, and friendly service.

Dan Romero

Simply amazing, beautiful food. I had the Pork Katsu Burger and my wife had the same as a rice bowl. Both delicious. Get the fries, too. They are tasty and clean- not greasy at all. The service was great- the young man at the counter gave us great suggestions (almost forgot- Yuzu lemonade is a MUST!), and our food came out super fast. I love this place- and will definitely return.

Lovely staff, very friendly, great vibe. There is always a crowd outside seated and waiting for orders. Food is good and reasonable by NYC standards, but not to die for. French fries are excellent, soup is good. Salmon teriyaki is pretty ordinary - not especially juicy or tasty, plenty of rice.

I arrived right as this spot opened up for the evening. It's located in-between a number of Brooklyn stations. I ordered the pork katsu curry and grabbed a seat inside. The curry had a lot of good flavor and the pork was cooked well. This restaurant is minimalist, even the food didn't have a lot of flourish. It does taste good.

The food were nice. It is a good neighborhood restaurant. But will a little bit cold if you sit indoor near the entrance, because we were there, when we sat there enjoy our dinner a chid held the door open for a while for no reason, after that other children come and out frequently for no reason. Plus other other customer come in to order, so recommend do not sit near the door if the weather is cold.

Homey Japanese restaurant in Fort Greene. Chef Katsu is the perfect chill late night dinner spot to grab a curry bowl or teriyaki salmon.

Great little lunch spot, gluten free options, but on the pricey side.

Four stars on the Katsu bowl and 2.5 stars on the Portobello mushroom Katsu burger

When I saw the menu at @chefkatsubk I knew I would be coming back here, so for the first time I started with the original katsu options, katsudon and katsu burger. I really liked that they used shiso leaves, which added the light unique flavor of shiso as well as making the food more refreshing. Pretty good for NYC Japanese food!

great place for japanese quick bite! Price is reasonable and food is delicious. staffs are friendly and kind. I tried salmon teriyaki bowl chilled corn soupand yuzu cheese cake. I hear the burgers are great so next time ill try them as well!

The staff are very kind, and the serving time is also quick. I was hoping that the miso soup and the rice would be served hot, but they’re just lukewarm🥹 I think it would be even better if the rice and soup were hot!

Delicious! This place really surprised me. I was not expecting much but was pleasantly met by both the food and staff. Though I live far away, I would definitely come here again if I am in the neighborhood!

The katsu is very delicious. I wish there was enough sauce though for the rice underneath.

Chicken Katsu curry was very good. Great flavors and very well prepared chicken. The pickles were lacking a little bit of pickling which definitely deflated the experience

Jessica T

ordered the special katsu of the day- the shrimp katsu burger! it had the perfect bite and the bread was nice and fluffy. the shredded cabbage was crisp and well seasoned too. the pork katsu burger was a bit forgettable in comparison but still enjoyable overall. i wish the pork katsu was thicker. i think that would've enhanced the dish. for the price, it was acceptable. finally, we got the salmon and ikura bowl, which was fresh. the sushi rice was more flavorful than the standard stop and go spot. i'd visit again to try their salmon dashi chazuke. seating is limited. we got lucky and came in 30 mins post opening and were able to sit wherever we wanted.

Naomi Mash

Just ordered a Salmon teriyaki take out, but I received the chicken teriyaki instead. Still yummy, but not what I ordered. Also for anyone ordering online, the miso soup is not gluten free like it says on the menu!

HR Park

I had the chicken teriyaki bowl. It was fine, but the toppings were too simple and the seasoning a bit bland. The pickles also had a faint flavor. The dessert, on the other hand, was really delicious (though very small, just enough for one person).

Olivia

A good staple, quick meal. The chicken was well seasoned and crispy. I think it needs some more sauce and I think the rice could have some seasoning as well.

Monét Thibou

This is a very small restaurant. There’s some indoor and covered outdoor seating but it’s tight. The food however was GREAT! I suggest you get this to go instead of dining in. I got the katsu burger with fries and a yuzu lemonade all for $22 after tax and tip. This burger had way too much cabbage on it but it was still tasty! They close around 8pm everyday so get there early!

+8

Miranda

the chicken katsu burger was quick and yummy. loved how tender the chicken was and how strong the curry sauce was. the bread was meh, less fatty and more dry than one would expect in a bun. the cabbage slices were just enough to make you feel like you’re having a balanced meal 😂overall would come back to try a bowl.

Zachary Thomas

This place is good, but social media has overhyped it — lower your expectations a notch before coming. I liked the Katsu in my bowl a lot, but the rest of the bowl was mostly rice? I wish they used more ingredients.

Delicious food in a pretty basic shabby quick lunch style room. It’s funny because it feels like truly gourmet Japanese curry served so quickly and deliciously. But the bare concrete room without ambience stuffed with a line as if you’re at a chipotle kind of marred the experience for me. I know it’s nyc so can barely be helped but fighting over seats is annoying. It would help if they put a real heater on the patio which was too cold to eat on. Overall I would definitely come again but not for lunch when it’s way too busy.

I had their Salmon with Dashi soup. Tasted fine, but there was a bone in the mashed up salamon. That bone stabbed me in my gums. Watch out, they are not that careful. It was not the first time.

The chicken katsu bowl was bland. Not sure if it was worth $15.

Pretty decent for a quick bite. Flavors / seasoning are lacking a bit. Fries seemed to be frozen and not cut in-house. I had the fried chicken sandwich and the bread to chicken to cabbage/slaw ratio was off. A couple times I was biting just slaw - this chicken is thin which is great but cut back on the ‘slaw’. ☺️ Drinks were really good!! Teryaki chicken bowl was decent - wish they offered it with white meat. Overall, good for a quick bite but would not frequent this spot. Beware about arriving close to closing. We arrived at 7:45 and was told by the cashier that they close inside at 8:15 and outside at 8:30. We sat outside. We received our food around 8pm (fries came out faster). We felt rushed - on two different occasions, two separate employees came out to hurry us along and tell us to get a to-go box if we’d need one. A guy and an older Asian lady.

The chicken katsu was very crispy and not too oily! It was really delicious with the curry, but there was just too much curry. Like it was literally a soup. The ikura don was also alright, but there was definitely not enough salmon; the salmon also didn’t have much flavour. Also do not get the matcha latte. It literally tastes like water.

Tried it twice. I am not a fan at all. Both veg burgers felt too trashy (deep fried?) and we’re drenched in mayo and cheddar (not my thing) and tasted accordingly. The fries were ok. It’s served cutely however.

this place is SO GOOD! I love the way they cook their eggs and Ive not been able to find japanese pumpkin soup anywhere else and its my favorite! Unfortunately, the quality of their food changes too much for me to eat there frequently. It can range from really delicious and flavorful, to quite bland.. atleast with the chicken teriyaki bowl which is the only thing ive really gotten so i cant say for the rest of the menu. I recently doordashed a meal from them after a long day of walking around and was really disappointed by it because i was so hungry and so excited to treat myself. Otherwise, its really delicious when you order from them on a good day. Whenever that is 🤷🏻‍♀️

I always love this place I would come back again but disappointed that fries are too salty today. I couldn’t eat them:( Please don’t put this much salt. Kid eats too!

Sean Capone

Neighborhood place that’s always busy, so I was looking forward to trying it. First experience was not awesome. The chicken katsu curry had a weird acrid funk, and the meat, while still crisp with the breading even after being drenched in a gallon of sauce, was unexciting. The dish didn’t have too much going on for over $17, just meat, sauce and mushy rice, and it kept me up half the night with the worst heartburn. ❤️‍🔥 I’m rating it with an extra star or two because the “Palmer” drink was pretty good.

Wally

Super busy with lines during lunch hour. But it moves quickly. Be prepared to wait at least 15 min for the food to come out. Ordered the curry pork Katsu bowl ($16). It was good but I’ve definitely had better elsewhere. Good for a quick bite to eat and no regrets trying this place but not memorable.

Juriy

Surprised to see good reviews. I ordered 3 things and did not enjoy any of them. The chicken burger was probably my favorite but — for the amount of Hawaiian bread type of bun it was wrapped in — it was lacking sauce or something juicy. The slaw was a nice touch but the cheese was barely noticeable inside. Pork katsu bowl, while flavorful, was also too dry and since they served it in a bowl the rice on the bottom soaked in all the sauce and there was not much left for the pork. Finally, the fries were just terrible — flavorless, dry inside, lacking salt, not super crunchy. Fast service, good prices, good drinks.

My out of town friend took me here because of tiktok hype. That already tells you enough. Katsu is overcooked, dry, and tasteless. Curry is bland. "Burgers" are dry, lacking sauce and flavor. We didn't even finish our food and went to find another place to eat. IDK why the line was out the door. Everyone getting recs from social media influencers these days?

The food is amazing, but they never pack their drinks properly. I've had 3 orders ruined this way - all delivered by different dashers (so you know it's not the delivery person's fault). I genuinely think their Katsu sandwiches are the best in Brooklyn, but not when drenched in lemonade.

I have been a customer at this restaurant since they opened. I work across the street and often grab lunch to go. The women are very friendly however, the younger guy with the long hair isn’t. Unfortunately, I will never return. Today I walked in, stood at the register and the young man looked past me at a man standing behind me and asked him how he could help him. I walked in before him, it was very clear as I was standing in front yet, he still attended to the person behind me. This was very disappointing and hurtful. The food is good and I will miss it, but based on basic principles and having self-respect, I could never go back.

I want to say that the people that work at Chef Katsu are wonderful but the food really is a skip for me. The curry sauce, which covered most of the things, was very grainy and felt like it was undercooked. This meant that the rice and the chicken katsu (which was overcooked and kinda dry) was almost inedible.

The food is not bad, and the mint lemonade is really refreshing on a hot day, but the inside of this place is really off putting; it smells like manure (animal dung)! If you can get past that, and how small the space is, then I'd recommend it.

We came here yesterday on a rainy day. Ordered for pickup over the phone, and had great expectations because we saw a video where the food looked REALLY good, and the Google reviews were pretty high. Over the phone, we were told they were out of raw salmon and curry, which sucked because 2 of us really wanted a curry katsu bowl. But we settled for a regular pork katsu bowl, a salmon dashi chazuke, a pork katsu burger, a chicken teriyaki bowl, a strawberry latte, a matcha latte, and the dessert of the day - a hina matsuri parfait. We opened the salmon dashi chazuke and it was such a disappointment. It looked like canned salmon and the portion was very sad for $15. It barely filled a third of the paper bowl, and when the dashi was poured in, it just tasted average. The katsu bowl was pretty decent, but not crispy - maybe from the takeout container. The radish that came with the bowl was tasteless. Both lattes were made with whole milk and strangely enough, the first sip tasted like matcha/strawberry, and then the rest of the drink tasted like straight milk. The hina matsuri was pretty good, but it was a small dessert and kind of hard to ruin. Our total was something like $78, and we would probably not come back.

I dont like giving bad reviews, but the food was so underwhelming. It looked and tasted like chicken cutlet from the deli on top of rice with garnish (barely any greens) and sauce sold for ~$20 and the salmon was also not it. Very underwhelmed. There was no flavor. It looked and tasted like a spoon full of canned salmon (no salt or anything, just the classic sea taste straight from the can) on top of rice. On top of that there were hard plastic pieces in it! I attached a photo. Honestly idk what i ingested at this point, but a hard piece of plastic got stuck in my throat. it felt like a sharp bone and would not go down. I had to literally cough it up because it was cutting me every time I swallowed. I dont think this is a Japanese owned place. Idk who owns this place but literally this not it. Someone is making money off of a vibe and throwing mass produced packaged items together in a bowl.

My order was delivered in a ruined state because the restaurant failed to properly seal the soup and drink. When I called to request a replacement, they refused to replace the order and told me to deal with directly with Grubhub. This is extremely disappointing customer service.