Visit on September 3, 2023. After finishing my errands in the morning, I walked from Okachimachi to Ueno looking for somewhere to eat, but it was close to 3 pm and most places were already closed. Even the ones that were open had long lines, so that's a no-go. As a last resort, I made my way to Atre in Ueno and lo and behold, there was a tonkatsu restaurant tucked away on the second floor. I had no idea it was there. It's called Tonkyu, and although I initially thought it might be related to the Tonkyu in Takadanobaba, it seems to be a completely different restaurant under a different management group. There were only two other customers ahead of me, so I decided to wait. After about 10 minutes, I was seated. I ordered the Black Pork Loin Set (120g) for 1,690 yen (tax included). It arrived in about 10 minutes. The male staff member who brought it over tried to explain various things to me, but he spoke so quickly and in such a low voice that I could hardly understand him. It was a shame. There was probably Himalayan rock salt included, as there was a generous amount of pink coarse rock salt provided, which was a nice touch. The sauce and dressing for the cabbage were also of good quality and tasty. The mustard came in a small packet, which seemed a bit lacking compared to the other condiments. However, unfortunately, the sesame seeds that the restaurant supposedly recommends were never provided throughout my meal. I probably won't be returning, but I hope they reconsider their management practices as the tonkatsu was decent and it's a shame to see such oversights.

I visited a shop on the 2nd floor of the station building Atre, directly connected to JR Ueno Station for the first time. The inside of the shop had many seats, and on Wednesday at 9 PM, I was able to sit comfortably. On this day, I ordered the premium pork fillet cutlet set meal. Even with the smallest portion, the flavor of the meat was rich and satisfying. The premium pork is called "daiginton" in Japanese.

It was so delicious! Today, I was wandering around Ueno by myself and was worried that everywhere would be crowded, but luckily I was able to get in. I had the black pork loin cutlet set meal. It was incredibly delicious! Who knew that eating pork cutlet with salt could be so tasty! It was crispy and tender. I will definitely come back for more. ♡

I decided to have dinner in Ueno and wanted to relax, so I thought of going to "Kamameshi Haru" in Ameyoko. But wait, I remember that it closed down and I was disappointed. So, I decided to look for a place to eat at the station and wandered around the dining floor at Atre. There was a kamameshi restaurant here too, but since my mind was set on "Kamameshi Haru," I didn't want to be disappointed if it didn't meet my expectations. So, I decided to try something different from kamameshi. I was tempted by the hamburg steak at Tsubame Grill, but then I found a place called "Kurobuta Tonkatsu Tonkyu." I wondered if it was a branch of the Tonkyu in Takadanobaba, so I went in. I realized from the atmosphere that it had no connection to Takadanobaba. However, I couldn't just turn around and leave, so I decided to stay and eat here today. Now, the question was what to order. I started with a Premium Malt beer, and then ordered the Black Pork Loin Katsu set (200g for 1,790 yen) with a side of curry (200 yen). Despite being a pork loin katsu, it was dry and the breading was heavy and greasy. Normally, I prefer to eat pork loin katsu with salt, but this one seemed better with lots of sauce. Oh no, the sauce was too sweet. The clam soup was delicious, so I had a second serving. I left two pieces of katsu and then made a katsu curry bowl by putting them on top of rice and pouring the curry over it. The curry was delicious. It reminded me of finishing with curry like at "Oroji" in Shinjuku. I felt like I got something out of this meal.

I happened to stop by Ueno Station for a train transfer and found this restaurant where I thought of having a meal. The cozy yet spacious interior of the restaurant was inviting, and I enjoyed their specialty tonkatsu made with "Daigin Pork," a premium brand of pork, for its delicious taste and generous portion. They pay attention to details such as ingredients and cooking methods, making them a skilled establishment. The meat had a light texture and I finished it in no time. I visited alone on that day, but I was pleased to be seated at a table by the window in the back corner of the restaurant. Of course, rice, cabbage, and miso soup were all-you-can-eat. The miso soup was made with clams, which was a nice touch. I was surprised when a plate of refill cabbage was served, but it was a smart move. However, it would be even better if they could explain how to refill rice more politely. The restaurant is conveniently located inside the station, and I look forward to trying a different type of tonkatsu on my next visit.

Tonkatsu restaurant located on the food floor of Atre Ueno. Perhaps because it's tucked away in the back or because the prices are a bit high, or maybe just by chance, there was only one group lining up even after 11:30 on a holiday. Many tourists with suitcases were enjoying beer and tonkatsu during the daytime (laughs). I ordered the 200g loin cutlet of Dainiku pork and curry (as a dressing). It took about 15 minutes to fry after ordering, so it doesn't seem like a place where office workers can casually eat on weekdays. The taste was delicious with a thick cut of meat. I'm not sure if the 120g portion would have resulted in a thinner tonkatsu, but I was very satisfied with the 200g portion.

First visit. A tonkatsu specialty restaurant located in Atre Ueno. You can enjoy carefully crafted tonkatsu made with purebred black pork at a reasonable price in a convenient location directly connected to the station. The restaurant is operated by Kichiri Holdings Co., Ltd., which manages various food and beverage outlets, so it seems to have no relation to "Tonkyu" in Takadanobaba. Dinner in Ueno. Everywhere seems to be crowded. Since Atre was relatively empty, I decided to take refuge there. I found a tonkatsu restaurant that I didn't know existed. I was really hungry, so I decided to have a hearty tonkatsu meal. There were empty seats in the restaurant, so I easily entered. The restaurant has a surprisingly large number of seats, which is quite rare for a tonkatsu restaurant in Tokyo. The spacious and bright interior is clean and open, making it a very pleasant place to dine. The tables are also spacious and nice. The staff members are cheerful and provide good service. Now, this place specializes in black pork tonkatsu, so naturally, the menu consists only of black pork tonkatsu. However, I'm not a big fan of loin katsu (why did I come here?), so I passed on the loin katsu. I decided on the set menu of black pork fillet katsu and oyster fry. The black pork fillet katsu and oyster fry set meal (1990 yen + tax) comes with rice, cabbage, and miso soup with free refills. The tonkatsu is cooked slowly, so it takes some time before it is served. Well, tonkatsu is a dish that takes time to prepare, so I'm used to it. The set meal was served after a proper wait, and the fillet katsu was not bad. You can taste the slight wildness and the deliciousness of the meat that is characteristic of black pork. This is the real deal black pork. So, if I had chosen the loin, it would have been even wilder. Yes, the fillet was the right choice. The fillet katsu, reminiscent of a certain famous chain, has a good separation of oil from the breading, and the breading adheres well to the meat. It's a bit overcooked and poorly cut, but it had enough power to save me, who was almost becoming a dinner refugee. I was told to sprinkle salt on the fillet katsu, but there was no salt provided on the table. So, I'll just eat it with sauce from the beginning. The oyster fry was not good. The oysters are small, which is understandable, but the thick breading makes it look clumsy. For small oysters, you need to coat them with a thinner breading, or it will just taste like the breading. The rice is surprisingly delicious. Since it was close to closing time, I wasn't expecting the rice to be in good condition, but it pleasantly surprised me. And since refills are free, I'll gladly have another serving. It seems to be Koshihikari rice cooked in a traditional stove. The cabbage is roughly cut and drained, but with free refills, this is what you get. Since I was really hungry, I'll have a refill of cabbage too. The miso soup has clams. This is also refillable, so I'll have another serving (laughs). The oyster fry felt unnecessary, but overall, the satisfaction of the set meal was quite good. If you want to have tonkatsu in Ueno but don't want to wait in line at Yamanoya, coming here might be a good alternative. The convenient access being directly connected to the station is also a big plus. Being a major company that manages multiple food and beverage outlets, the restaurant is very solidly built. It's better to go to a well-established restaurant like this one rather than a small, uninspiring one.

At Atre Ueno, there is a tonkatsu (pork cutlet) restaurant that I couldn't resist trying when meeting a friend. They only had draft beer, no bottled ones. And to my surprise, there were no appetizers available! It was just tonkatsu and fried dishes on the menu. While waiting for my order of two fillet tonkatsu, shrimp fry, and oyster fry, I wished they had some pickles or something to munch on. I rubbed some sesame seeds as I waited, sipping on my beer. The tonkatsu here is served with pinkish fillet, but they can fry it longer if you prefer. What I really appreciated was the unlimited rice, cabbage, and clam soup refills. I hope there are more tonkatsu restaurants like this one near my office since I've been struggling to find a good tonkatsu place ever since Wako closed down.

A new tonkatsu restaurant called "Tonkyu" opened at Ueno Station, so I decided to try it out. When I sat down, they immediately brought out sesame seeds and a mortar, so I thought it might be a casual style restaurant, but it turned out to be a more formal tonkatsu place. They told me it would take about 10 minutes for the order to be ready, but it actually came out quickly, which made me wonder if there are tonkatsu places that serve the food so quickly. I ordered the black pork cutlet curry set (1690 yen excluding tax) with half rice. They asked if I wanted loin or fillet, even though the menu only mentioned loin, so I went with the loin. The cutlet was thick for a curry cutlet. It seemed less sweet for black pork, but I had no complaints. The curry sauce was standard. Since they provided sesame seeds, I mixed it with the sauce and tried a bit of the tonkatsu, which was also on the sweeter side. Overall, I think it's a decent tonkatsu place for a chain restaurant.

Yesterday, a little after 5 p.m., I went to Tonkatsu Atre Ueno store. It was not crowded, so I was able to get in smoothly. The menu was extensive and I had a hard time deciding. While waiting, I ground some sesame seeds that were served to me. They explained that it would take about 10 minutes because they fry the food after you order. I ordered the limited-time menu item, the "Dai Gin Buta" (premium pork) loin 120g for 1,639 yen. It was a thick cut loin, but the 120g portion was quite filling. I first tried it with salt, and it was crispy and fresh. Then, I dipped it in a sauce made with plenty of ground sesame, sauce, and hot mustard, which I found to be more to my liking. The special sauce was made from tomatoes, onions, apples, and other vegetables, and it was delicious. The cabbage went well with both the dressing and the special sauce. The pickles and miso soup were also tasty, so I had seconds of the miso soup. I opted for a regular serving of rice. You can have seconds of rice, miso soup, and cabbage. The menu was so extensive that I would like to try other items next time I visit.

I entered the restaurant during the quiet afternoon hours. I ordered the special pork mini curry and the special fillet as a single item. As others have mentioned, the pork felt a bit lacking for its price. The meat was a bit tough. I asked for it to be fried in a normal way, but it might be better if it's fried a bit rare. Personally, what I really liked was the fillet. It was tender and delicious. When I added sauce, it just tasted like sauce, but when I added salt, it had a hint of sweetness.

On a certain Saturday, I really wanted to eat rice, so I first went to the omurice restaurant in Ecute Ueno, but the line was unbelievably long, so I gave up and went to my second choice, a tonkatsu restaurant. There was still a line, but the wait was relatively short, so I decided to eat there. Since it's scallop season, I was feeling greedy and ordered two pork fillet cutlets, seafood mix, and added scallops, and even had curry. The black pork cutlet was very delicious, but I was most surprised by the scallop fry. It was big and juicy. I was happy to eat it. The curry rice was also delicious, so I ended up getting a second helping of rice. I left feeling full and satisfied. The price is not cheap, but overall, I am satisfied. I would like to go again.

Exorcism Black Pork Loin Cutlet Set Meal (120g) for 1,639 yen. Honestly, it wasn't bad tasting, but I didn't feel satisfied for the price I paid. The atmosphere inside the restaurant was relaxing, but I based my evaluation on the satisfaction of taste and price. Also, it's been a while since the consumption tax was raised, so it would be better if they stopped highlighting the tax-excluded prices on the menu.

[3.5 rating] Visited at 3:03 pm. A shop inside Ueno station. Came for lunch. About 70% of the customers were already there, ranging from young to old. The interior has mostly 2-person and 4-person tables. It has a Japanese atmosphere, clean and quiet with music playing softly. I ordered the Black Pork Loin Cutlet Set 120g for 1490 yen (excluding tax). Positive points: The service was polite. The miso soup had clams in it. The rice was shiny and soft. The cutlet had a good texture, both chewy and tender. The cabbage seemed to have a lot of moisture. Negative points: The floor was a bit slippery. The cutlet batter felt a bit soggy. Personally, I think this is a major downside. Also, while the meat had a good texture, it lacked sweetness and juiciness. I thought it might be tough to compete in the tough tonkatsu battle in Ueno. Thank you for the meal.

Ueno Atre has a tonkatsu restaurant called "Torihisa" that specializes in black pork, and it opened on September 15th! Black pork is my favorite type of pork, so I went to try it out right away. This restaurant is affiliated with the "Tonkyu" in Aeon Mall Nagakute in Aichi Prefecture, not the one in Takadanobaba that is known for being selected as one of the top 100 tonkatsu restaurants. I visited the restaurant for lunch on a weekday by myself. The seating mainly consists of about 30 table seats. The place was quite busy with customers coming in, especially being located in Ueno Atre. I ordered the black pork loin cutlet set, with options for 120g (1,639 yen tax included) or 200g (1,969 yen tax included), and I chose the 120g option. I also added a side of curry (210 yen). They quickly brought out sesame seeds for grinding, using the oldest seasoning in the world, golden sesame. There were sauce and dressing on the table as well. I waited for about 10 minutes before my black pork loin cutlet set and curry arrived. The appearance was not as fatty as expected for black pork. Should I have ordered the 200g option instead? The miso soup was clam soup, and the curry was surprisingly thick and gooey. The taste was decently good, but I recommend going for the 200g option. The flavor of the black pork was there, but I felt like it could have been more pronounced. The breading was also not bad. The sauce was on the sweeter side, complementing the sesame seeds well and enhancing the flavor of the tonkatsu. The rice was tasty, made with Koshihikari rice. The clam soup and cabbage were also enjoyable. The curry went well with the tonkatsu and had a nice level of spiciness. It was a good deal for 200 yen. Overall, it was a satisfying meal.

Black pork loin cutlet set meal, pork tenderloin cutlet set meal, and crab cream croquette as a single item.

I had the set of hire katsu and oyster fry. It was delicious and generous in portion. The price was reasonable and they offered free refills of rice, clam soup, and cabbage. I was satisfied.

I was looking for dinner and stumbled upon this bright and clean restaurant. I was seated right away without having to wait. They informed me that the fried dishes take some time to prepare. There were various set meals available for around 1000 yen, and I could choose the portion size. I ordered the pork cutlet set meal, and it was delicious with a crispy outside and tender meat inside. The meal included rice, cabbage, and miso soup, with free refills. The young male waiter who served us in the evening had a great smile and provided excellent service, which I really appreciated. I forgot to take a photo of the food.

The taste was delicious, but there were friendly staff and unfriendly staff. They were out of black pork, so I added the premium pork fillet cutlet and oyster fry.

Thick and juicy tonkatsu. The clam soup is delicious too. The yuzu dressing is also amazing! I want to go again.