Katsu Bar
Restaurant · Koreatown ·
Casual eatery specializing in chicken and pork cutlets
Casual eatery specializing in chicken and pork cutlets
"This tiny daytime spot from the Sushi Sonagi chef pays homage to Japanese convenience store foods, like grab-and-go onigiri, fried chicken, and, most importantly, excellent sandos that will keep you full until dinner. Made with toasted housemade milk bread, we’ve yet to try a Katsu Sando sandwich that we don’t love, but our favorite is the juicy pork, which requires dabbing our chin with a napkin between bites." - sylvio martins, brant cox, cathy park
"Chef and owner Daniel Son reports mixed location impacts and inflation pressures: "We’ve definitely seen a drop in sales, but the San Gabriel Valley location has been affected more. The Eaton Fire was closer to that area, and the drop in sales has been about 30 percent. I’m definitely encouraged by everyone being so generous. From what I’m hearing from others, it’s difficult to be an operator right now. We had post-COVID inflation that led to sticker shock. What’s the endgame at this point? It’s been such a battle. I remain grateful and try to find any way that I can help our community. Of course, people can help by going out and spending money. That is the answer. Move away from using luxurious delivery apps. Support local mom-and-pop restaurants. We’re the least supported and don’t have the systems and supply chain to give us competitive pricing. A lot of operations run on a small margin. I would say most mom-and-pops aren’t doing it for the money; it’s because of a sense of community and passion, and genuinely wanting to feed people." Key points: ~30% drop at closer-in location, inflation-driven sticker-shock, plea to favor local operators and avoid high-fee delivery apps." - Eater Staff
"Katsu Sando is a tiny sandwich shop in Chinatown that pays homage to Japanese convenience stores. The menu is filled with grab-and-go onigiri (Japanese rice balls), katsu curry plates, and a variety of excellent milk bread sandos. While the pork katsu and egg salad sandos are all worth ordering, our current favorite is the menchi katsu. A deep-fried wagyu beef patty topped with frisee, mustard miso ginger slaw, and katsu sauce—it’s a perfect late afternoon snack after telling your boss you’re running to your car, but instead left the premises entirely. Don’t miss the wagyu curry cheese fries, either." - brant cox, arden shore
"Opening just in July, Katsu Sando is one of the newest spots in all of Chinatown, but we have a feeling this tiny sandwich shop is going to be in the neighborhood for quite a while. Inspired by the convenience stores of Japan, their menu is filled primarily with on-the-go katsu sandos (the menchi katsu is our current favorite), egg salad sandwiches, and a few larger curry plates. If you’re looking for a quick lunch in Chinatown, keep Katsu Sando front of mind. Takeout only." - brant cox, kat hong
"Daniel Son’s Japanese convenience store-inspired sandwich shop Katsu Sando has been a great Chinatown addition since opening in 2020. The extensive menu goes far beyond the expected egg salad and pork katsu milk-bread sandos. With creative fillings like honey walnut shrimp and mushroom katsu, these are both satisfying and filling." - Mona Holmes