# Limited sashimi katsu at Gangdong tonkatsu restaurant Tonka, Seoul - By Soseo (https://superchart.com/en/@water-pitcher-8d3a/) - Written Sep 20, 2026 - Local places › Restaurants › Gangdong, Seoul - Sponsored: This visit was sponsored by the business. - English edition: https://superchart.com/en/@water-pitcher-8d3a/tonka-amsa-sashimi-katsu-third-visit/ - Also in: [한국어](https://superchart.com/ko/@water-pitcher-8d3a/tonka-amsa-sashimi-katsu-third-visit/index.md) ## In short Tonka is a Japanese-style tonkatsu (breaded pork cutlet) restaurant near Amsa Station in Gangdong, Seoul, with mostly counter seating. On this third visit the two limited-quantity dishes were finally available together: sashimi katsu (₩14,000), so tender it is hard to believe it is chicken breast, and special loin katsu (₩18,000), best eaten cut by cut. For the limited menus at Tonka, arrive right at opening time on a weekday. ## Good to know - **Tonkatsu**: ₩15,000 - **Special loin katsu**: ₩18,000 (limited quantity) - **Sashimi katsu**: ₩14,000 (limited quantity) - **Seating**: Mostly counter seats - **Visit time**: Weekday evening, at opening - **Price reference**: ₩14,000 ≈ $10 · ₩18,000 ≈ $13 · ₩15,000 ≈ $11 (2026-09-22) *as written by the visitor on Sep 20, 2026* If someone asks me where to eat in Gangdong, I don't hesitate — Amsa's Tonka. I've taken my self-proclaimed "tonkatsu king" friend Namgu and a bunch of others here, and everyone claps and raves about how good it is. This was already my third visit. ## Finding Tonka: no sign out front Tonka is a tonkatsu specialist on Sangam-ro 5-gil in Gangdong-gu, Seoul, near Amsa Station — don't be startled that there's no sign! Weekends are always packed, so this time I went on a weekday, timed right for the evening opening. ![Exterior of Tonka, an Amsa tonkatsu restaurant with no sign](https://img.superchart.com/images/tonka-amsa-sashimi-katsu-third-visit/tonka-amsa-sashimi-katsu-third-visit-01-1ty67-900.webp) ## Inside Tonka: counter seats facing the kitchen Tonka is set up mostly with counter (dachi) seats, so it really feels like stepping into a small tonkatsu shop in Japan. I got there right at opening and there were still seats, but ten minutes after I sat down the place was completely full. My first visit was about three months ago, and it's clearly gotten a lot more popular since then. ![Interior view of Tonka](https://img.superchart.com/images/tonka-amsa-sashimi-katsu-third-visit/tonka-amsa-sashimi-katsu-third-visit-02-jc4k0-m-900.webp) ![Tonka's interior, quiet right after opening](https://img.superchart.com/images/tonka-amsa-sashimi-katsu-third-visit/tonka-amsa-sashimi-katsu-third-visit-03-v67hi-900.webp) ![Tonka's seating, mostly counter seats](https://img.superchart.com/images/tonka-amsa-sashimi-katsu-third-visit/tonka-amsa-sashimi-katsu-third-visit-04-g22rc-900.webp) ![Tonka's bar counter, evoking a small Japanese tonkatsu shop](https://img.superchart.com/images/tonka-amsa-sashimi-katsu-third-visit/tonka-amsa-sashimi-katsu-third-visit-05-e4e3g-900.webp) Every time I come, I feel it again — the owner is so kind that I'm in a good mood before I've even eaten. It's magic. ![View of the kitchen from Tonka's counter seats](https://img.superchart.com/images/tonka-amsa-sashimi-katsu-third-visit/tonka-amsa-sashimi-katsu-third-visit-06-c1fvw-900.webp) ![A corner view of Tonka's dining space](https://img.superchart.com/images/tonka-amsa-sashimi-katsu-third-visit/tonka-amsa-sashimi-katsu-third-visit-07-1wa9f-900.webp) ## Tonka menu and prices Tonka has three menu items in total: - Tonkatsu ₩15,000 - Special loin katsu (limited quantity) ₩18,000 - Sashimi katsu (limited quantity) ₩14,000 The limited menus always seemed to be sold out before, but this time I finally got to try both the special loin katsu and the sashimi katsu. ![Tonka's menu board listing tonkatsu and limited items](https://img.superchart.com/images/tonka-amsa-sashimi-katsu-third-visit/tonka-amsa-sashimi-katsu-third-visit-08-118py-900.webp) ### Fried to order right in front of you Once you order, they fry it right in front of you in clean oil, and the crisp sound when they cut the cutlet is enough to make you hungrier just listening to it. ![Tonkatsu being fried right in front of the counter](https://img.superchart.com/images/tonka-amsa-sashimi-katsu-third-visit/tonka-amsa-sashimi-katsu-third-visit-09-13hmt-900.webp) ## Sashimi katsu, ₩14,000 (limited quantity) The sashimi katsu is the reason I love Tonka. Ever since I tried sashimi katsu at Imakatsu in Tokyo, I've been counting down the days until my next Tokyo trip — and honestly, without exaggeration, this tastes just like the real thing. The first bite left me speechless. ![A plate of Tonka's limited sashimi katsu](https://img.superchart.com/images/tonka-amsa-sashimi-katsu-third-visit/tonka-amsa-sashimi-katsu-third-visit-10-ps50t-900.webp) ![Cross-section of sashimi katsu showing the thin coating](https://img.superchart.com/images/tonka-amsa-sashimi-katsu-third-visit/tonka-amsa-sashimi-katsu-third-visit-11-bo2ff-900.webp) ![A piece of sashimi katsu picked up with chopsticks](https://img.superchart.com/images/tonka-amsa-sashimi-katsu-third-visit/tonka-amsa-sashimi-katsu-third-visit-12-kejo6-900.webp) When you hear "chicken breast," you naturally picture something dry, but this melts in your mouth like it's premium Korean beef. I think that's partly because the coating isn't thick at all. ![Close-up of sashimi katsu made from chicken breast](https://img.superchart.com/images/tonka-amsa-sashimi-katsu-third-visit/tonka-amsa-sashimi-katsu-third-visit-13-1012z-900.webp) Namgu, trying sashimi katsu for the first time, kept asking how chicken breast could possibly taste this good — please, just trust me and try it once. Please. Lately whenever Namgu visits my neighborhood, he keeps chanting that we have to go eat sashimi katsu. ## Special loin katsu, ₩18,000 (limited quantity) Just as delicious as the sashimi katsu — Tonka's special loin katsu. It's a special cutlet made from cuts the owner personally selects and fries beautifully — ![A plate of Tonka's special loin katsu](https://img.superchart.com/images/tonka-amsa-sashimi-katsu-third-visit/tonka-amsa-sashimi-katsu-third-visit-14-zxxxe-1200.webp) "Crispy outside, juicy inside" might as well have been invented for this katsu. Since it comes with several different cuts, alternating bites keeps it from ever getting monotonous, and you can honestly demolish the whole plate. I kept eating without even noticing I was full. ![Cross-section of the crispy-outside special loin katsu](https://img.superchart.com/images/tonka-amsa-sashimi-katsu-third-visit/tonka-amsa-sashimi-katsu-third-visit-15-5q7lf-900.webp) ![Special loin katsu plated by cut](https://img.superchart.com/images/tonka-amsa-sashimi-katsu-third-visit/tonka-amsa-sashimi-katsu-third-visit-16-1hxxw-900.webp) ![Bite-sized pieces of loin katsu](https://img.superchart.com/images/tonka-amsa-sashimi-katsu-third-visit/tonka-amsa-sashimi-katsu-third-visit-17-1ui6p-900.webp) ### The best cut at Tonka: hirekatsu (tenderloin) Among them, my absolute favorite is this tenderloin katsu (hirekatsu)... it's really sad that only two pieces come with the set. I wish they'd make a menu with just this cut. Writing this is making me crave it again, so I'll have to go eat it again soon. ![Tenderloin katsu, served as only two pieces](https://img.superchart.com/images/tonka-amsa-sashimi-katsu-third-visit/tonka-amsa-sashimi-katsu-third-visit-18-9b1pd-900.webp) ![Loin katsu showing the balance of fat and lean meat](https://img.superchart.com/images/tonka-amsa-sashimi-katsu-third-visit/tonka-amsa-sashimi-katsu-third-visit-19-1emlr-900.webp) The loin isn't just lean meat — the balance of fat and meat is just right, giving it both nutty richness and a clean finish. The owner is clearly a cooking genius. ![A piece of tonkatsu dipped in the special sauce](https://img.superchart.com/images/tonka-amsa-sashimi-katsu-third-visit/tonka-amsa-sashimi-katsu-third-visit-20-1jjz0-900.webp) ### Salt or sauce? How to eat tonkatsu at Tonka I also tried it dipped in the special sauce that comes with it. It's delicious plain, and delicious with salt too, but if you want a slightly sweeter flavor, I'd recommend dipping it in the sauce ♥ ![Tonka's tonkatsu spread with sauce and salt](https://img.superchart.com/images/tonka-amsa-sashimi-katsu-third-visit/tonka-amsa-sashimi-katsu-third-visit-21-l6dv9-900.webp) ## Verdict: why Tonka is worth a third visit I usually love hunting for new restaurants and rarely go back to the same place twice, but Tonka is the kind of place that keeps popping into my head the moment I walk away — that's why I've already visited three times, my favorite spot in Amsa. If you're looking for the best tonkatsu restaurant in Gangdong-gu, you will genuinely regret it for life if you don't go to Amsa's Tonka... (I'm serious) ## Where it is - Tonka (톤카) - 78 Sangam-ro 5-gil, 1st floor, Unit 102, Gangdong-gu, Seoul, South Korea - 서울특별시 강동구 상암로5길 78 1층 102호 - 37.5537784, 127.1283467 - Google Maps: https://www.google.com/maps/search/%ED%86%A4%EC%B9%B4/@37.5537784,127.1283467,17z --- Superchart · https://superchart.com/en/@water-pitcher-8d3a/tonka-amsa-sashimi-katsu-third-visit/ · https://superchart.com/llms.txt