Catch Table waitlist tonkatsu in Jeonpo, Busan: Katsu Kitchen

Katsu Kitchen Jeonpo Main Branch: the basics

Katsu Kitchen Premium Jeonpo Main Branch is a Japanese tonkatsu (breaded pork cutlet) restaurant at 27-6 Dongseong-ro 25beon-gil, Busanjin-gu, Busan. There is no parking, it's a 2-minute walk from Jeonpo Station, and it's open 11:30–21:00 (the original post says 20:30).

It had been a while since I'd come out to Jeonpo! I was wondering where to go, and there's a famous Jeonpo Japanese tonkatsu place near the station, "Katsu Kitchen", so I hopped right over *_*

Getting to Katsu Kitchen and a tip for the wait

It's very close, about a 2–3 minute walk from Exit 4 of Jeonpo Station, and you go in through an alley. You can register for the wait in advance on Catch Table (a Korean restaurant reservation app).

Ahh, that Jeonpo vibe after so long! I went around 3pm on a weekend, kind of late, and there was still a wait. My tip: since Catch Table is available, register ahead of time. The inside isn't big, so if your timing is unlucky the wait can get long. I really recommend registering first!

Inside Katsu Kitchen and the seating

We waited about 20 minutes. A seating cycle had just turned over right before we arrived.

The inside is full of Japanese atmosphere, with counter seating (dacchi-seok) running in one long wraparound.

We took seats toward the back.

How to choose from the Katsu Kitchen menu

It's Japanese-style tonkatsu, so everything comes out thick and you can choose by cut. What I especially liked was the mix menu. When you want cheese katsu but ordering only cheese feels like a waste, the mix is perfect haha

They say it's cooked right after you order! It says 10–15 minutes, and that's exactly how long it took.

The Katsu Kitchen tonkatsu set spread

After a short wait, out came the tonkatsu spread! It comes as a full set with rice and soup, so it's a hearty meal.

Unusually, green onion kimchi came out, and it did a great job cutting through the richness of the katsu. But the katsu wasn't greasy at all, so I reached for it less, haha

The trio of wild garlic leaves (myeongi-namul), wasabi and salt was also presented so prettily.

Mix katsu or special loin katsu: which to pick?

I ordered the mix katsu with fillet katsu and cheese katsu together, and after eating it I was glad I did. Highly recommend, two thumbs up

My companion ordered loin katsu. The "special" was still available (limited quantity), so they got that, and it was honestly so good. The one I'd recommend most at Katsu Kitchen is this special loin katsu!!

Fillet katsu: tender and packed with meat

The fillet katsu is tender and full of meat! Great texture, and even more recommended if you like your mouth filled with meat,

True to Japanese-style tonkatsu, the coating is thinner than Korean-style, not greasy, and clean. It was even better when it was crispy.

Loin katsu: for fans of rich, fatty flavor

The loin katsu has a good ratio of fat to lean meat, so I'd recommend it to anyone who says "I love that nutty richness of fat too" haha

Personally both were delicious and it's hard to rank them, but I really love the richness of fat, so I enjoyed this loin katsu so, so much.

Katsu Kitchen sauces and the wild garlic leaf and wasabi combo

I liked that there's a variety of dipping sauces too. It starts with a regular tonkatsu sauce, and there was also a spicy tonkatsu sauce that was so good. It keeps the katsu flavor clean, and it's like a little firework going off in your mouth?!

I also put wild garlic leaves on top, and the wild garlic leaves + wasabi combo boosts the savory depth too. I came for just one tonkatsu, yet I could eat it so many ways, it felt like I was cooking in my mouth haha

The cheese katsu was mozzarella, nutty and so delicious. Glad I ordered the mix!!

The set: beef soup, furikake rice, salad

Since the katsu comes as a set like this, I thought it was a really good Jeonpo lunch spot. The soup was a clean-tasting beef soup,

and the rice came topped with furikake (rice seasoning), which was tasty too haha

The tonkatsu golden rule, salad, came too, with black sesame and yuzu dressings so you can pour whichever you like. Both were good, but personally I loved the rich, nutty black sesame haha

Drinks and dessert ice cream at Katsu Kitchen

I ordered a cola; they have Zero too, and it comes in a plastic bottle like this. Shame on those places that hand you a can and charge ₩2,000–3,000,, the cola was a great deal and I loved it.

They even give you ice cream for dessert! I almost walked out because I didn't know about it, and apparently everyone does. Don't forget to have the dessert before you go!

Katsu Kitchen Jeonpo Main Branch: final verdict

I'd thought tonkatsu everywhere is pretty great these days, but Katsu Kitchen was a step above that. The special loin katsu has really tender, nutty fat, yet it's less greasy than other famous tonkatsu places, so I enjoyed it even more. The fillet katsu is excellent, and since you can mix it with cheese I felt I got great value (by the way, other mix combinations are possible too!).

There were plenty of tonkatsu places nearby, but I understood why only Katsu Kitchen still has a wait after 3–4pm. If you're craving Japanese food in Jeonpo, Busan, I'd recommend Katsu Kitchen ^_^