Katsu-Shack

The best Katsu spot in Chicago! Crispy, flavorful, and authentic — whether you go for chicken or pork, every bite delivers that perfect crunch. The cozy Japanese vibe makes it feel like a quick trip to Tokyo. Highly recommend stopping by on your way to Wrigley Field — it’s the kind of meal that’ll recharge your energy and keep you smiling through the game!

The vibe and the food is great. They have lot of options for a shop that is quick and small. They also have options for fun and delicious drinks as well as Japanese soda and green teas. The service is pleasant and they are pretty quick. The only thing that could be better was the temperature of the food. It was lukewarm warm as if it’s been sitting there for a little while. The katsu was not as crunchy as I thought it would be. Strawberry matcha shake was DELICIOUS✨

I never imagined I could enjoy the authentic and delicious Katsu-sand at Wrigley cheering for Cubbies; especially the two amazing Japanese players, Shota and Seiya who are making their dream come true, like myself 🥰 Recommend take-out and show off to the fans at Wrigley!! Bento, donburi and karaage are recommended too and you can bring them in! “Katsu” means “Win” in Japanese. We eat them when we want to gain strength and win so it’s it’s perfect🤩 Thank you Katsu-Shack❣️

If you love crispy golden fried „Katsu“ , this place is a must-visit! You can enjoy the deliciousness of authentic Japanese tonkatsu in a casual atmosphere ! This time, we only ordered pork dishes, everything was so delicious—katsu sandwiches, Katsu rice bowls, and katsu curry rice. The thickness of the cutlet was something I’ve rarely seen, even in Japan—so thick and satisfying! The pork was it tender, wrapped in a perfectly crispy golden panko crust. Freshly fried, it was amazingly yummy ! Surprisingly, there was no greasiness at all. The variety of sauces to choose from was a great touch! They also have chicken and shrimp on the menu, which we’re excited to try next time. My teenage daughter was also blown away by the matcha milkshake! Definitely worth a visit!

Great Japanese food option in Chicago! The main dish, Tonkatsu had a juicy meat in crispy batter. Great service and authentic taste!! I’m kind of sensitive to the freshness of food due to my allergies and other symptoms but I could tell the ingredients and oil used are of high quality and well controlled. Definitely go again.

My friend and I sent to Katsu Shack when they opened. I will say it was a good experience. The service was kind of slow but the quality of the food made up for it. I did enjoy the ebi katsu sando. The tangy cabbage really hit the spot and I could taste how fresh it was. The tornado potato Could have been cooked a little longer since it seemed really oily and could have been cooked a little longer. The only other thing was the menu was kind of complicated since the screen kept changing.

I enjoyed my first time here. Ordered a Katsudon which is my litmus test for whether a Japanese restaurant is good or not; Katsu-Shack definitely delivered. The food came out insanely hot (fresh-made) which is a great sign. I’m looking forward to trying their other items, especially in colder weather!

Incredibly good authentic katsu! As someone who has spent a lot of time in Japan, this is as close to a native katsu restaurant as you'll get. Fried to crispy golden perfection and the meat was tender. The side dishes complemented the katsu perfectly. The establishment itself is nice. Not exactly a date/intimate sort of place but it's still quite pleasant. They over a decent variety of Japanese drinks and a few snack items.The owner was very polite and was happy to answer any questions. If you are looking for a quick bite or a delicious lunch, be sure to check them out.

As a Japanese tonkatsu lover, I'm so happy to find this fast-casual restaurant which serves great tonkatsu!

this place was DELICIOUS, and the service was great. the vegetarian croquets were wee so good. can't recommend enough!

Delivery Review Only: I have not visited Katsu-Shack in person yet, but I was highly impressed by the Japanese black curry order I received from Katsu-Shack. The flavor was robust and I am eager to try additional items from this restaurant.

Katsu shack is really just that, it's a little spot that serves Katsu. They have chicken, pork, shrimp, and karage as well. Their signature is with the black curry (either with rice or as a sandwich dip) and comes with decent sides. It's very pricey for what it is though and I will likely not be going back but if you love Katsu and curry, come here for it! Food 4/5: The fries were overly salted and slightly undercooked. Wish they had more bite to the outside and not so much on the inside. The shrimp Katsu was good. The pork Katsu was good but the crispy layer falls off very easily. They cater to take out only but I think that's part of the reason. Maybe they need to add holes for moisture to escape. It wasn't cut against the grain so it can be chewy on some pieces. The Katsu sauce and miso soup are both probably store bought but they were delicious and I'd go again just for those. The cabbage that comes with the set meals don't have dressing. Ambiance/service 4/5 Its quiet since no one really eats in. There is no water available. The folks are very nice. No complaints. I would dock a star for the price. I wouldve expected to pay closer to 25 - 30 range for my meal and not 35 - 40 range. For that price I could've gotten hot pot or something that I can't do at home myself or is much more annoying to.

Katsu-shack was a fun nice find. If you go, you should try their habanero sauce. Their miso soup was good but I thought it would come with the tofu chunks. The service was really welcoming and attentive to our needs. The ambiance was quiet. Perfect place for catching up with friends!

Had a really fantastic experience here today. The service was quick and convenient, and everything was really easy to see on the menu. We popped in for a quick bite and ate a Katsu Sando Set with chicken instead of pork. The restaurant itself is beautiful! Open floor with a good amount of tables and seats for its small area. The drinks were easy to see and spot. Super clean dining area, and there was not a single spot out of place. The food was delicious. The katsu was the perfect texture--crunchy but somehow fluffy when you bite into it. The sauce was excellent, not too much on the sando either. The fries were great, too! I was especially happy to see a good selection of drinks. They have Ito-en unsweetened green tea, which was a nice addition to my meal, considering how most places have really sweet teas instead. All in all, I'll definitely be back. Staff is nice, the restaurant is beautiful and clean. I had a nice time!

Amazing katsu sandwiches! Great customer service. I liked both the chicken and pork katsu Sandos. The pork was a bit thick but very tasty. I think I liked the pork more but both were very good. This place is legit! Real Japanese food!! I can't wait to come back and try the other items on the menu.

I placed an online pick up order from here. I arrived early but it wasn't done any sooner but still on time. The inside is small, but their staff is friendly. I ordered three sandwich. Two of them with chicken, one with miso katsu sauce and the other with sweet chili sauce. The third sandwich was a pork sandwich with tonkatsu sauce. All three sandwiches were really good and couldn't really pick out a favorite one. Both the chicken and the pork were very juicy and the sauce were all really tasty. The rest of my family really enjoyed them and we all cant wait to come back.

I really wanted to like this place because I love Japanese curry, but unfortunately this place missed the mark. Considering the many positive reviews, I'm unsure if we caught them on an off day. We stopped by in the late afternoon, and the gentleman at the counter was very friendly. I overheard something about him having a connection to the Chicago Cubs and it sounded like he might be a writer. The walls had signed Chicago Cubs memorabilia which was pretty cool. We ordered the Black Katsu Curry Meal Set and the Katsu Sando with fries. Unfortunately, the pork was overcooked and tough, making it hard to enjoy. The curry itself was just average, and the fries didn't seem fresh. I do plan to give them another shot in the future.

I did not want to write this review because I was expecting this place to be good from the reviews. I went to Japan last year and this place's Tonkatsu just doesn't compare. You can tell it was fried in old oil and the batter they use wasn't light and crispy. The rice was also old and dry. I ordered the traditional tonkatsu set. Only thing was good was the miso soup and shredded cabbage.

Delicious! I've had the chicken sandwich, chicken black curry, and vanilla shake. All of it was top notch. The shakes were thick and had slight ice crystals in it, which I love, while still rich and creamy. The black curry sauce was very flavorful and the chicken katsu was nice and crispy. The space is cute and the gentleman that helped us was warm, friendly, and helpful. I'm excited to have this place in the area!

I love sandos and was excited that there's a new sando shop in Chicago. We came on a Sunday afternoon for lunch and dined in. There's only a few small tables inside but most of the customers were taking food to-go. I had the ebi-katsu sando and ordered the tonkatsu rice bowl for my toddler. Hubby had the tonkatsu sando and matcha shake. There is a water dispenser inside but you have to ask for cups which they don't have readily available. We waited for some time until our food came out. The ebi-katsu sando was just okay and lacked seasoning. I got tartar sauce on the side but didn't think it paired well with the sando. I asked for the sauce on the side for my toddler's tonkatsu rice bowl but it was still drenched on top. I was worried she wouldn't eat her food since it was pretty saucy but she dug around it and mostly ate the rice. The matcha shake was decent and I ended up taking more than a few sips. Overall, food is just okay but we also came about a few weeks after it opened.

My friend and I sent to Katsu Shack when they opened. I will say it was a good experience. The service was kind of slow but the quality of the food made up for it. I did enjoy the evil katsu sando. The tangy cabbage really hit the spot and I could taste how fresh it was. The tornado potato Could have been cooked a little longer since it seemed really oily and could have been cooked a little longer. The only other thing was the menu was kind of complicated since the screen kept changing.

We needed a place to quickly eat before our show and this was the perfect place. The pork katsu was soooo good. Authentically Japanese and crispy on the outside and moist on the inside. We got the bento and the sandwich. Also the owners/workers were very nice.

Food is delicious and I will certainly be going back for their onigiris and pork katsu!

Katsu Shack is an authentic Japanese restaurant run by Japanese people. That's a rarity in downtown Chicago as not many Japanese restaurants are. I'm from Japan and I highly recommend this place if you want to see what real katsu tastes like! Both pork and chicken are thick yet tender. My favorite is the shrimp katsu. I also love the matcha shake which comes with a couple of matcha pocky sticks. Rich and flavorful. The restaurant also have a great selection of Japanese soft drinks. There's a free parking lot right next to the building. It's within walking distance to Wrigley Field. A convenient location. I can't wait for their katsu curry that's coming soon!

Wow! Just came back from a trip and this place just opened. It's amazing really. Saku might be the most personable and funniest individual I've ever met. The ambiance is just perfect. The vibe is so calm, clean, and the colors are perfect. Now talking about the food. The curry was so nice, the portions are HUGE for the price. So thick and tender. Overall, I completely suggest you go here rn!

We ordered a bento box and a katsu sandwich, both with pork. The food consistently lacked flavor. The fries I had were soggy and tasted like they were frozen and not made in-house. The miso soup lacked a good fishy flavor. The only flavor in the sandwich was the bit of sauce, but the pork cutlet and breading were disappointing and didn't taste seasoned. There was also quite a bit of fat that wasn't trimmed on the cutlet, so there were unpleasant chewy pockets. This place just opened, so it may just be growing pains, but we were disappointed with our first experience.

I stopped into Katsu-Shack on a walk throughout the neighborhood. The service was attentive and friendly. I ordered the katsu curry and was completely blown away by the bold and rich flavors. I'll be stopping in again soon! ありがとうございます！

This katsu was... whatever. Not worth the price. I liked the fatty parts of pork but the meat itself was under salted and the sauces were over salted. Miso soup tasted bland, miso katsu sauce was not good. Tried once, probably won't be returning again.

Really authentic, top-end tonkatsu for a reasonable price. I grew up in Kobe, and it used to be that only a few, specialized restaurants could make tonkatsu with thicker cuts of pork loin like Katsu Shack serves (it is really hard to get the pork to cook evenly and stay juicy at the same time). Another thing that is a mark of good katsu, the breaded exterior comes out super crisp, but because of some magic with the type and temperature of oil used, the katsu does not taste oily or 'deep-fried'. The rice in the set meal was good quality (a personal axe I have to grind with a lot of Asian restaurants in the US is that they use cheapo rice under the assumption that most Americans can't taste the difference), and miso was OK. Tonkatsu was a standout star. Katsu Shack is working on adding katsu kare (curry rice with a katsu on top) to the menu. Japanese curry has an esthetic all of its own, and there are a lot of very mediocre wannabes out there. I am looking forward to seeing what Katsu Shack brings to the game.

My partner and I are very fond of Japanese curry, so we were interested to try this place. I have to say, I was somewhat disappointed. I don't like it when you dine in and they still serve your food in to-go containers. But that is a minor quibble, I understand that a small place might not want the dishes to clean. We ordered the black curry and the bento box. The cutlet was a generous portion and well cooked, but the breading came off the pork, making it difficult to get all in a single bite. But the worst was the rice. It was undercooked and boney to the point of being crunchy. I cannot understand a Japanese restaurant serving rice like that. I'll give it another try because we love Japanese curry, but the badly cooked rice is a deal-breaker. Please do better.

I ordered Katsu-sando (Japanese cutlet sandwich) and Ebi (Shrimp) Katsu Sando. Both katsu had crunchy yet silky panko and juicy meat inside. Tomato, vegetable and soy sauce based tonkatsu sauce goes perfect with their tonkatsu. I also loved their special tartar sauce for Shrimp! I can't wait to try their tornado potato and bento boxes!

food, service, and ambiance was all amazing. 10/10 recommend for authentic katsu and curry

It was really authentic Japanese Katsu (deep fried pork), super tasty! Definitely recommended.

Nice small Japanese restaurant. I ordered the Katsu-Shack Bento Box. Pork was nicely deep fried and tender. Worth going back.

You can taste true Japanese Katsu (fried pork) at this restaurant. I recommend especially Katsu Sandwiches since their pork is amazing soft.

The Japanese-style sandwiches with the Otafuku sauce are delicious and generously served. Highly recommended.

This is a fantastic spot to experience authentic Japanese Katsu-sand, which I can confidently recommend as 100% Japanese. The Tonkatsu is incredibly tender and pairs wonderfully with their homemade, soft bread. In true Japanese tradition, finely shredded cabbage is always included with the sandwich. A variety of sauces is available, and for those exploring real casual Japanese cuisine, I recommend trying the traditional sauce, tartar, and miso. The staffs were friendly, will get back soon again.