Kagura El Segundo
Japanese restaurant · Downtown ·
Crispy tonkatsu, millefeuille katsu, private booths, sake bar
Crispy tonkatsu, millefeuille katsu, private booths, sake bar
"This Torrance spot (with other locations in El Segundo, DTLA, and Gardena) specializes in crispy, tender tonkatsu in the way Ohtani specializes in home runs. Kagura’s deep-fried cutlets are great by themselves, but they also come as part of a dinner set with rice, miso soup, and pickled veggies. Whether you go with a more traditional filet katsu gozen or a cheese-stuffed mille feuille variation, you won’t spend more than $30 on a full meal here. Sit up front near the sake bar if you want dinner to feel a bit rowdy, or grab a booth table in the back for a quiet, semi-private experience." - brant cox, sylvio martins, garrett snyder
"From premium filets to leaner loin cuts smothered in cheese, this chill izakaya in Torrance specializes in pork tonkatsu. Each set comes with an elegant tray of rice, miso soup, and salad, and if you’re in the mood to drink, pairs perfectly with a glass of beer. Plus, their indoor dining setup has individual rooms for each party – so you won’t have to worry about being too close to anyone. This will free you up to focus on remembering how to make the appropriate amount of eye contact (50% while talking, 70% while listening) while discussing Dua Lipa’s Grammy performance this year. Maybe you should just play the video at your table?" - brant cox, kat hong
"Many know tonkatsu, or Japanese fried pork cutlet, from its stint accompanying curry or served at those broadly Asian restaurants whose names often sound like they were ripped from a generator. But at Kagura, tonkatsu isn’t just some dish on the menu—it’s the dish on the menu. The chill Torrance izakaya specializes in it, from premium filets to leaner loin cuts smothered in cheese, and serves them alongside an elegant tray of rice, miso soup, and salad. The star of the show here is their signature millefeuille. Made in the style of the French pastry, fatty slices of pork are folded and layered on top of one another, then deep-fried, resulting in a dish that’s juicy inside and fantastically crispy outside." - garrett snyder, sylvio martins, cathy park
"You’ll find a decent plate of tonkatsu on the menu at a bunch of Japanese spots in Torrance, but those fried pork cutlets are the focus at Kagura. This laidback izakaya specializes in everything from premium filets to leaner loin cuts smothered in cheese (all of which pair very well with beer), and serves it alongside an elegant tray of rice, miso soup, and salad. But the star of the show here is their signature millefeuille katsu, made with fatty slices of black pork folded and layered on top of one another. The color reminds us of what we imagine the contents of Meryl Streep’s trophy case look like: brilliantly golden." - garrett snyder, cathy park
"The next time you’re meeting a friend for an affordable dinner, keep Kagura in mind. This Japanese spot (with other locations in Torrance and Gardena) specializes in crispy, tender tonkatsu. You can order the deep-fried cutlets by themselves, or as a dinner set with rice, sashimi, miso soup, and pickled veggies for around $25. The star of the show here is their signature millefeuille katsu, made with fatty slices of pork folded and layered on top of one another, then deep-fried to the color of Meryl Streep’s trophy case: brilliantly golden. The El Segundo branch has a fun sake bar up front, but grab a booth table in the back for a quieter, semi-private experience." - garrett snyder, sylvio martins
