Katsu Jin

Excellent service, great vibes, and delicious katsu! The katsu is so juicy and crispy and, in my case, cheesy! It really took me back to Korea and Japan! The miso soup was tasty, the pickles were delicious, and the katsu sauce was superb. My ONLY disappointment was the curry sauce, it just did not have a good taste to me and almost too bitter. But I'd love to return for more katsu!

If you’re looking for authentic Japanese-style katsu rather than the typical pork cutlet, this place is the best. The price and flavor are excellent, and there’s even free parking. We had the corn ribs as an appetizer—they were absolutely delicious. It’s also convenient that you can view photos of the menu and order ahead on your phone. Overall, the taste, seasoning, and portion sizes are just right. The restaurant is clean, and the overall experience was top-notch. Highly recommended!

Great new Japanese Katsu place in South Pas. The corn was superb. The Pork Loin Katsu is top notch. Big wave of Thai run Japanese restaurants worldwide. This ranks high up there. We’re new fans. The only crit is needs better music. Not sure about the video game J-pop.

We’ve been looking for a place in the east side/Pasadena side of LA to satisfy our Japanese katsu cravings and came across this restaurant. The restaurant is small but the food was great! Friendly staff, good portions, and an authentic feel to the ambiance and the way the food was made. We had the Gyoza, Katsudon, Pork Loin Katsu, and Strawberry Daifuku and will definitely coming back again until the future! Nice and friendly owners too!

Tried the Spicy Miso Ramen. The broth was rich and the noodles were nice and chewy. Although, the portion seemed a bit smaller end for the price. Please note they use QR codes as a menu. So you have to scan the code and order on your phone. The interior is very cute and clean. The staff are friendly. Overall, a good experience.

If you suspect it is raw, don’t eat it!!! The photos show the part that looked pink and tasted a bit raw. I took a small bite and didn’t eat them and even so, my stomach starts feeling weird. They say it was normal and offer to recook, but it takes another 20 mins. Anyways, I won’t go back agin. Food taste good if not raw, and nice decoration. But be aware if you think it’s raw

Amazing, well-prepared dishes, and nice interior. Katsu Jin is great dinner spot, everything is fresh and prepared beautifully. We enjoyed the Chicken Curry Katsu, the sides were refreshing and light! The carrot ginger dressing on the salad was amazing. I also recommend the spicy ramen, it was super flavorful. While the prices are on the higher side, the dishes consistently and execution make up for it! Can’t wait to come back, we suggest making a reservation to ensure seating.

Sort of torn on this one. If you're coming for the Katsu I'd give it 5 stars. If you're coming for other stuff then 4. Get the tenderloin katsu. It's very tender and juicy. The regular katsu, while very good, was just a bit dryer. This is not going to compare to high quality katsu you get in Japan, but it's probably up there in taste and quality for LA. The side dishes that come do feel small, not asking for them to be a lot more but you get basically 2-5 pieces which really doesn't leave much to enjoy. Grinding your own sesame is always fun and gives us a pleasant aroma. The black garlic oil ramen has a very strong and unique flavor. You'll either love it or hate it, we loved it. The tonkatsu ramen was on the bland side and wasn't as creamy as it should be. We will pass on that next time. Well be back to try other items in the near future!

Never knew I liked them thick n' juicy, but Katsu Jin has changed my mind on how I like my katsu. Thick. Juicy. And crispy. These pork cutlets are likely the best Katsu I've ever had. There was a slight fatty texture to each bite without being too fatty. My daughter and I shared this delicious meal with a side of squid legs for dinner last night. The squid legs were delicious as well. It is more like a full min squid, which was perfectly fried and seasoned. We were both perfectly full sharing our meals. The place itself is small and busy, but we were able to get seated pretty quickly. Service was great! I did not realize you order through digitally, but our server was kind about taking our orders. Would I be back? Absolutely. I like Katsu Jin, and I cannot lie.

The chicken katsu was good but the curry probably ruined the dish. The curry seemed to have some weird flavor and maybe substituted with some poor ingredients. The rice was fluffy and good. The edamame and shishito peppers were ok but nothing special. The service was typical and friendly. The place is cozy and may have a line. I would give this spot another try but definitely would avoid the curry.

Excellent service, great vibes, and delicious katsu! The katsu is so juicy and crispy and, in my case, cheesy! It really took me back to Korea and Japan! The miso soup was tasty, the pickles were delicious, and the katsu sauce was superb. My ONLY disappointment was the curry sauce, it just did not have a good taste to me and almost too bitter. But I'd love to return for more katsu!

Hands down best Katsu in Pasadena! The flavors are perfect. We ordered the Pork Loin Katsu, the shrimp katsu curry and the corn. Everything was very well made. The service was great as well and the atmosphere was cute. The place is small and does get packed so be patient. I would recommend this place if you're in the mood for Katsu.

One of the best meals we've had in a while. Katsu Jin was sooo gas -- easily the best katsu on our list right now. We ordered a mix of things: * Takoyaki - crispy outside, soft inside, and loaded with bonito. * Karaage - super juicy with a crunchy coating. * Cold soba - refreshing and so good with the dipping sauce. * Pork katsu sando - thick, tender cutlet with perfectly toasted bread. * Pork katsu set - crispy, not greasy at all, and the sauce paired perfectly with the cabbage. * Cheese katsu - crazy good... hot, melty, and addicting. * Katsu curry - rich, flavorful curry with crispy pieces on top. * Strawberry daifuku - soft, fresh, and the perfect sweet finish. Everything tasted super fresh, portions were generous, and nothing felt heavy or oily. Service was quick and the food came out fast even though the place was busy. If you love katsu, this spot needs to be on your list. We're already planning to come back.

I do not recommend. The ramen is super oily, which I definitely am not used to and is not genuine, and the tempura was seriously under seasoned. The gyoza was good, but overall there are much better Japanese places that are even closer.

Amazing corn ribs. Perfect for furikake lovers, tender yet crisp, sweet salty umami flavor in each bite! Will go back just for that appetizer. Katsu was good too! The hand crushed sesame seeds in the katsu sauce brought out a really tasty nutty flavor. Going to go out and buy a sesame mill now. I will say that it appears the bathroom is falling apart like the faucet fixture is completely misaligned and overall feels dirty because they chose white floor tiles. Tracks in a lot of black footprints. They should consider remodeling bathroom for dark floor and new faucet.

Katsu set meals are one of my favorite comfort foods and this place definitely hit the spot! I ordered the chicken katsu set and the chicken was super juicy and flavorful. Each set was paired with rice, salad, and miso soup so it's a good amount of food per set. Parking was easy in the lot and there wasn't too much of a wait even though I went on a Saturday night!

My favorite katsu spot in LA! Been here too many times to count. Very reminiscent of katsu you would get in Japan -- maybe even better. The katsu sets come with a generous portion of meat & sides. Their strawberry daifuku is also a must get for dessert. To order, you scan the QR code on the table. The waiter will bring the check to your table to pay after eating. Parking is free & easy in the lot out front.

Food was delicious & portion is worth it for the $. The ramen (spicy miso) was really flavorful and not too heavy - I would definitely come back to try their other ramen. The tenderloin katsu has wonderful, flaky breading & loved the side salad. Also got the oyakudon (chicken) it was a little on the bland side (compared to other dishes) but still comforting to eat! It is a smaller shop so you may have to wait a bit for a table & probably hard to fit larger parties. Service is great though & the food is worth the wait!

When I first entered the restaurant, I noticed that it was packed. Every table was full so we had to wait. It was a 5 minute wait or so. We got seated and ordered through the barcode that was at our table. I like that it saved time handing out paper menus. The food didn't take too long to be served. The appetizer we got was fried squid legs. The only gripe I had was the waitress took the crumbs and the cabbage away because my brother and I still wanted to eat them. We should've told her that we were still eating them. I got the oyakodon. It was filling, I didn't expect the bowl to be that deep. It had the right amount of onions, green onions, chicken, egg and rice. It was bright inside. There was noren or fabric dividers in the restaurant when you entered which set it apart from other Japanese restaurants.

Best katsu I had in awhile. The pork katsu is super juicy and crispy. The set meal comes with a side dish, salad, miso soup and rice. I also ordered the corn ribs and Mugicha (iced Barley Tea) and all taste super yummy The place is small but clean and the lady is very attentive. Definitely will come back again!

Food: - Takoyaki (5/5): This was a nice appetizer. It was crispy and soft on the inside, with big octopus pieces. I wasn't too hungry, so getting this appetizer was enough to satisfy me. My friends ordered their katsu and said it was really good. I didn't order that, but it did look good to me, so that next time I come, I would definitely try one of their katsu dishes. Service (5/5): - The service was good. I came on a weekday in the evening and it wasn't packed at all, so the servers were really attentive towards my table. The food came out relatively quickly too after ordering. Ambiance (5/5): - The restaurant is located in a plaza, so there's ample free parking available. The restaurant itself is nice, clean and has a good amount of indoor seating. It's a calm, quiet environment, so it's a nice place to grab dinner if you want a chill night. Overall, it's a nice katsu place in Pasadena if you are craving this dish. I'd recommend checking it out if you are in the area.

This is your sign to come here, and I mean now. Wow. The closest spot I've come to where I can compare it to Japan. Edamame was unique because the garlic was fresh and consisted of their own seasoning. I tried the chicken katsu and the pork and preferred the chicken. The breading is exquisite & the salad was extremely refreshing and a big portion. I'll be back! The customer service was kind, and they allowed you to do your own thing, which I appreciated. The ambiance was clean and new. If I looked down at my food long enough, I felt like I traveled to Japan.

I grew up in the area my whole life but had never tried Katsu Jin until now. The katsu was really solid, and I especially enjoyed the richness of the black ramen. Honestly, not much to critique here except I wish the portions were a bit bigger.

Amazing place, located in South Pasadena next to one of our favorite Thai places, Patakan. This curry spot is legit. The crispiness of the crush on the katsu is delicious and flaky. The curry is very flavorful and mild, but there is other levels if you want spicier. I also got a side of mixed tempura to dip in my curry. Comes with shishito pepper, shrimp, sweet potato and other tasty vegetables. The ramen was very flavorful as well!

Katsu with a flaky crust, curry with a little kick, a clean atmosphere, with excellent service. Katsu Jin is a newer Japanese style katsu restaurant in South Pas, a sister to the Thai restaurant two doors down call Patakan. Patakan has been a favorite of ours for years, and we just got to try Katsu Jin today and see some familiar friendly faces and try some delicious katsu. My family ordered the chicken katsu curry (the flaky crust is unlike many katsu restaurants and tastes very crunchy and high quality with a savory curry sauce and miso soup), the vegetable tempura (delicious and with it's own unique batter and vegetable mix including shishito peppers), and the black garlic ramen (savory and delicious). The chicken katsu was the star of our lunch and the service is just as amazing as it is at Patakan. This place is a MUST if you are looking for quality katsu!

Always a pleasure to get my fried food cravings on! Love the Chicken Katsu Curry! I have ordered it every single time but today I deviated and got the Tenzaru Tempura and Soba. Definitely delicious too. Gail was super patient and kind. Two thumbs up!!

The katsu is cery authentic like the one u get in japan! So crunchy on outside, pork is tender inside. Portion is filling! They give you sesame in bowl, with pestle, so u can ground it urself. Service was great, fast and friendly. Vibes here is chill and nice, perfect for lunch and dinner

Very good little place in pasadena. I remember this spot being a poke burrito place but now replaced by this katsu place. Very small spot so if you have a big party might have to either wait for a while or sit separately. Parking wasn't too bad since there are good amount of spots. Took a star off since service was okay since the table I saw that was open for a while was where I sat and when I ordered water the table who sat 10 minutes for their water before me. The food itself was very good. Liked the cheese katsu and the tempura flavor it wasn't too heavy for either one and had a good flavor to them. Will be back again.

I believe this might be the best katsu place in LA. The pork is thick but still tender and flavorful with a crispy shell. It's just like the ones I get in Taiwan and Japan! Highly recommend!! Service is great and efficient, the seating space is comfortable, and there is a free parking lot. I came on a weekday at ~11:30 am and the place was empty. It started to fill up around noon and I think it does get pretty busy on weekends.

Really great portion for the price, which is hard to find in Pasadena sometimes. The spicy miso ramen was so rich in flavor and had a nice kick to it as well - I was able to split 3 full small bowls between me and my friends. We also got the pork tenderloin katsu with a side of curry sauce, which was so tender and perfectly crispy. The curry had a really strong curry flavor with a sharp, peppery kick. We also got the chicken oyakodon which was also good but I would pass in favor of the previous 2 dishes due to the plain flavor. Would definitely come back here again just for the spicy miso ramen!

4.5/5! Space is small, but the workers are friendly and the food comes out quickly. We got the pork tenderloin, chicken, cheese, and mixed tempura. The cheese was my favorite and the perfect amount of cheesy without being too much. The pork was a little dry because it was such a thick cut, but not too bad. The batter isn't oily, so you still feel good after eating the food. Overall, great food!

The pork loin katsu here was one of the best I've had outside of Japan. The pork was so juicy and tender...and nicely coated with breadcrumbs for the perfect crisp. I like how we got to grind our own sesame seeds. It made for a fun little activity as we waited for our food. Everything about the meal was on point. Overall vibes were nice and staff were friendly. The store is small so there might be a bit of a wait. There's plenty of parking in the lot so that's a huge plus!

The son wanted curry, so he suggested this small restaurant in a strip mall along Fairoaks Avenue. At first I did not think much about it, but as I saw the other patrons and how all the tables were filled, I knew we hit paydirt and enjoyed ordering online at the restaurant. Known for its curry, the son ordered a cheesy katsu curry which looked really good but apparently tasted even better. Did I mention all the patrons were Asian? Another good sign for authenticity, cost and taste of the mother country. I don't think any of the employees were born here, so they must be Issei chefs and workers bringing their skills from the old country. I would come back to this authentic and clean restaurant in a heartbeat!

I have been looking for some great Katsu for some time. So you have to bet that Katsu Jin was on my list for some time. This past Sunday afternoon, I had the opportunity to visit for lunch. Ambiance: The interior is modern Japanese aesthetic, But on a Sunday afternoon at roughly 1:30pm, it was busy. With good reason as well. The interior was pristine and the plating of all items including the Katsu sauce and Katsu set were well presented reminding me of a typical Japanese shop. With some light Japanese Music playing in the background (I was hearing a bit of Yoasobi in the background) it really transported me to a typical eatery in Tokyo. The staff were incredibly warm and attentive. As a solo dinner, I love when I am attended to equally to larger groups! Food: I ordered some Geso-age (Fried Squid) and Tonkatsu Set (Pork Cutlet) w/ Curry sauce. Let me start by saying, I don't normally partake in Katsu Sauce, normally because, it is either too watery, or too thick. However, the highlight of my meal was the Katsu Sauce, with some sesame seeds at the base (I do believe they are toasted, correct me if I am wrong!) I savored it every single bite of my Tonkatsu. Speaking of that Katsu, look at the volume and size! Though it is only one cutlet, the breading was flakey and light while leaving the pork juicy and full of flavor. A definite game changer when put together. The curry sauce also was amazing as well, but I began to regret ordering it because I hardly used it because of the Katsu sauce! Overall, I will be visiting again. No doubt about it! I recommend visiting and maybe getting some extra Katsu!

Arrived during dinner time and was seated right away. Ordered tempura to start off with and it was really good. Daughters ordered chicken katsu and ramen, and I got the cheese katsu curry. I've never had cheese katsu before so thought I would try it out and it was delicious. Would definitely eat here again if I'm in the area.

I am saying with no exaggeration and with the subjective perspective from visiting Japan within the last 2 years when I saw that Katsu Jin is the real deal. Beautiful and simple ambiance, QR code menus, kind staff and service, quick turn around time for freshly fried katsu sets. I thoroughly enjoyed the juicy and crispy goodness of my chicken katsu sets with the fresh ground sesame katsu sauce! The soba was light and refreshing with a great depth and balance of umami salty sweetness!

Food was great Service is good. You just have to order on your phone. Only I like to order with the waiter or waitress directly. I'm old school. The interior is plain, simple, and clean.

Tasty, crunchy, chicken katsu. Courteous customer service. You order through a QR code. The sauce is good too! Simple clean ambiance.

The service was great. Ample parking in the lot. A solid stream of customers on a Thursday night. Seating is limited. About 28 seats. Pros: Guests grind their own roasted sesame seeds into a paste and the katsu sauce is added to it. A fun experience and provides a fresh taste. Cons: No vegetarian options. Ordered the cheese katsu only to learn that the cheese is wrapped in fried pork. Huge disappointment because I was hoping they had something for everyone in our group. The waiter was apologetic, and quickly made some soba noodles with tempura (sans shrimp). The food was ok. The katsu flavor was a bit bland and the breading was too thick. The cabbage salad lacked flavor. Felt more like a garnish.

I ordered the pork tenderloin katsu set which comes with rice, miso soup, tofu, pickled vegetables, cabbage saw with dressing and sauce. I also got a curry on the side. The Katsu was nice and tender, not fatty and full of flavor. The coating remained crisped during delivery. The curry was tasty but a little restrained, could have used a little heat, but very savory. One of the better katsu meals I've had in a while. I plan on trying other items on the menu when I visit the restaurant for a proper sit down. 5 stars

I think this place is relatively new. And I'm so glad it's here. Amazing Japanese katsu and even some ramen dishes. This place has super cozy vibes and I love the Japanese retro music that's playing all the time. The service is really fast and they have a really efficient QR code system for the menu and ordering. We came in on a Sunday evening right at opening time at 5:00 p.m. and it was already completely packed. It looks like there aren't reservations for the weekends but be prepared for a wait and it's totally worth it. There aren't many other places to get katsu in the area and I would say I could count the options in California on one hand as well. So this is definitely worth checking out if you miss the katsu of Japan

/)/) ( . .) ( づ really good deal for a set of chicken katsu you pay $18,99 I believe. Comes with a miso soup, a bowl of rice, the katsu and a cabbage salad with this delicious Japanese salad dressing. The katsu was crispy and very juicy. I recommend the chicken katsu over the pork katsu since the chicken was juicier and more tender. It's a small restaurant, we had to wait on a Sunday but it was not too long. Interior is very simple, staff was friendly.

i wholly enjoyed my meal! went in for an early dinner and only one other diner was present. i loved being able to grind up my own sesame seeds with the mortar and pestle and it keeps you busy while you wait for the food! our server then poured us a heavy amount of katsu sauce. we got the squid legs and a loin and a tenderloin set. the tenderloin was more tender and juicier, although both were fantastic. in comparison, kagura weirdly has their filet more tender/juicy than their loin, unsure if they're the same cuts? squid legs were lightly battered and delicious, but a bit oily for me. the sriracha mayo and lemon it came with was nice to offset the greasiness a bit. i appreciated that the cabbage salad was dressed, unlike kagura. can't wait to go back again!

Last review of 2024. We love this place. Authentic tonkatsu. Try the cheese. You won't be sorry Order with a QR code on every table or the old fashioned way.

ordered the chicken katsu, and it's hands down the best I've ever had! The flavor is completely different from any other katsu I've tried in my life -- crispy, juicy, and perfectly seasoned. The presentation was beautiful, and even the sauce stood out with amazing flavor. You can really taste the quality and care they put into every detail. Highly recommend!

Katsu Jin is pretty good for the location. It's a small store but the staff is friendly and it's clean! - appetizer : takoyaki - it was good but I wish it was a little bit more crispy on the outside - pork katsu : I love that it comes with little side dish (pickled radish and tofu), miso soup, rice and salad. I wish the salad for the dressing was creamier or more in quantity so it covers more of the cabbage.

A little pricey but the pork katsu is pretty good. mixed tempura is not bad. I wouldn't go for the curry add-on as it is not worth it.

Katsu Jin felt like a really authentic Japanese tonkatsu restaurant, with the sesame that you grind for your own sauce, and the fluffy breading to the pork. Unfortunately the quality of the pork was not great, and it was on the tougher side and left pieces of meat at Buck in between my teeth. Tonkatsu is one of my favorites dishes and I've never had this issue before, which is why it was a bummer. The other dishes like the gyoza and fried squid legs were delicious though, so it was overall a decent experience. The service was also great, and the restaurant itself is relatively clean and nicely decorated.

Finally got to try out this place and it's Literally the best Katsu I've had since my college days in Waikiki. This place SMACKS and has lots of options to choose from. So of course we went hard: Soicy Ramen, Soft Crab Shell, Corn Rib (a must) and Curry Katsu (pork lion). 11/10. The service is very attentive and really nice. Thank you for a wonderful experience. We left with full bellies and happy faces. It's not a huge place but every table was full. Luckily we were able to get the last table (130pm on a Friday). Parking can be tough (depending on time) but there's more street parking just in case. Enjoy!

Service could improve. Waiter brought my food out and gave it to another customer. Waitress realized I haven't gotten my food yet because I noticed she had panic by the way she looked and waiter came out and took what I was supposed to get in the back and brought it back out and didn't think I noticed. Not even an apology. The employee that takes your order should be the one to bring you your food. Well guess I won't be coming back. I shouldn't have left a tip but I did like a nut. lol

The pork katsu I had was way too thick. I had it togo so I can't complain about the soggy breading. I didn't like the salad dressing. I have to say, the pork katsu didn't taste bad though. I still finished 3/4 of it. It was more of a texture problem for me. However, customer service is top notch! Very kind and respectful workers there.

This place is very small, so try to either come non-peak hours or be prepared to wait. Food taste amazing! They bring you sesame seeds to grind before they pour katsu sauce for you. You can scan a QR code to view the menu and place your food order. Food is served quickly after you order it.

Solid katsu spot! I tried the chicken and pork katsu but preferred the chicken. Comes with rice, cabbage, and miso soup. Parking lot available

This is theeee closest I can get to having katsu in Japan again! Katsu Jin is a small and quaint restaurant located in a plaza right off fair oaks, across from Krispy Kreme. I came in on a Saturday night and waited about 40 minutes to sit for a party of 2. You scan a QR at your table to order. We got the takoyaki appetizer and I ordered the cheese katsu with a side of curry while my husband got the chicken katsu. The takoyaki was fluffy and flavorful on the inside but crispy on the outside. I also appreciated that there wasn't too much sauce. The cheese katsu was so delicious and crisp. It had a perfect cheese pull and the meat was also moist and not oily. It did get heavy as I was eating which is to be expected. I got the curry as the side but I honestly hardly touched it. I felt that it was too much for the cheese katsu and I preferred the katsu sauce with it instead. The chicken katsu was also tasty with the same perfect crisp exterior and flavorful chicken. My husband's favorite thing was the sauce on the salad though. We haven't had something like it before and it was so refreshing to have it inbetween bites of the katsu. We left with full bellies and I'll definitely come back again.

Wonderful little restaurant in South Pasadena. I took my daughters on their birthday because they wanted Katsu Don, their favorite food, and Katsu Jin didn't disappoint. Wonderful atmosphere, great food, and incredibly clean.

The food is so good. But the reason I'm writing this is because they make the best fried chicken wings in LA. They were so big, juicy inside, and impossibly crunchy outside. They should be famous for it. The corn appetizer was fire too. The shrimp katsu was so ridiculously crunchy. This is one of my new favorite places.

4.5, all the food is great, i think we order half the menu. Space is small, but very clean and decor is cute, the workers are friendly, welcoming and the food comes out quickly, max group of people to sit together is 8 for my opinion. Went there like 30 mins after they opened, and there was a good amount of people there already. The unagi don was super good. They give you a huge piece of Unagi, it was saucy, tender, perfectly cooked rice. My favorite thing we got was the pork tenderloin katsu was fresh and juicy with a great crisp. Great fresh dipping sauce, you grind the sesame in a bowl yourself which is fun Chicken katsu curry is good, Chicken moist, crisp, curry had a great salty, sweetness, and thickness, very good, but not as good at the pork tenderloin Black Garlic Ramen was great, broth was so flavorful and dense, i would definitely get this again. The kids got tonkotsu ramen, more simple broth, but they enjoyed it, we got a extra noodle on the side, pro tip, enough for 2, 8 year old twins. Crispy wings were great, huge wings, and great flavor, worth every penny Mixed tempura was very good, not oily, great fresh veg, crispy and light, my family loved it... we also go an order of just the shrimp tempura, so if you love shrimp, you will really enjoy Corn riblets were tasty, and unique, did not stand out like the rest of the food but tasty Mango Matcha Iced tea was great, i would recommend if you like matcha and fruit flavors Will definitely be back, parking ok, its in plaza with a lot of stuff, and the restaurant is a little small, so get there early , or have time wait for a little, not too long though. Dragon Egg approved