Katsu-Shack

Fast food restaurant · Lakeview East

Katsu-Shack

Fast food restaurant · Lakeview East

3109 N Halsted St, Chicago, IL 60657

Highlights

Katsu-Shack Chicago serves up top-notch, authentic tonkatsu with crispy cutlets and a cozy vibe, blending Japanese tradition with a modern touch.

3109 N Halsted St, Chicago, IL 60657 Get directions

katsushack.com

@katsushack

$10–20 · Menu

@eater

"This newish entry in Lakeview is a prime destination for Japanese-style fried pork cutlets. The quality of the pork, the crispiness of the breading, and the seasoning are all top-notch with the katsu, and the black curry is a treat that’s not easily found around town. This fast-casual spot is decorated with Japanese baseball gear, and is not too far from Wrigley Field." - Ashok Selvam, Eater Staff

Chicago’s Best Cozy Comfort Food Restaurants for Winter

View Postcard for Katsu-Shack

@eater

"This unassuming restaurant in Lakeview can be easily missed at the intersection of Halsted and Clark, but that would be a mistake. Katsu-Shack uses top-quality pork in its dishes, delectable and perfectly crispy pork cutlets (tonkatsu) and nicely seasoned. A newish dish, black katsu curry, is like a warm hug. The tornado fries, which are popular at night markets and other food festivals, are a nice touch. The space is decorated with memorabilia celebrating Japanese baseball, including call outs to Cubs players." - Ashok Selvam

The Hottest New Restaurants in Chicago, November 2024

View Postcard for Katsu-Shack

@infatuation

"Lakeview scored another opening this week with Katsu-Shack, a casual counter-service Japanese restaurant focused on tonkatsu. Choose from pork, chicken, shrimp, or vegan katsu in sandwich or bowl form, or plain with fries on the side. And if breaded meat doesn’t excite you, there’s always the spiral-cut fried potato on a stick and milkshake combo to try. We haven’t been here yet, but want you to know this spot exists." - Team Infatuation

Katsu-Shack - Review - Chicago - The Infatuation

View Postcard for Katsu-Shack

sakae otsuka

Google

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.

Ryan McCaffrey

Google

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.

H K

Google

I'm not a really picky eater but I kind of lost my appetite after eating here. The bottom of the bowl had rotten vegetables and the edamame was frozen - overall terrible experience.

Kaz Tanaka

Google

I visited here on Friday night along with my friend, ordered Katsu-sand, Katsu-curry, and Tonkatsu. Served with fries, Panko was very crispy and pork was also very soft and amazing! Stuff was very friendly and advised in detail how we should order. Hope this Katsu-Shack opens second store in Wrigley Field soon!!

Tom Zeien

Google

Delicious! I’ve had the chicken sandwich, chicken black katsu 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!

Chicago Bae Reviews

Google

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.

Linda Hainsworth

Google

This is a quick place to eat The menu belt limited but the food was delicious. Definitely felt like I was in Japan eating but I didn't like everything was served in plastic containers and throw away porks and chopsticks. If you want additional sauce there was an upcharge and it was not as welcoming as I thought it would be

Hugo

Google

The cutlet sandwich is voluminous, tender and satisfying enought. I recommend adding curry sauce to your sandwich, as it is a great way to add a little extra flavor.

Shin H.

Yelp

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

Jen F.

Yelp

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

Yvonne I.

Yelp

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.

Joseph S.

Yelp

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.

Wendy V.

Yelp

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!

Trip Archer R.

Yelp

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!

Cheryl W.

Yelp

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.

Jose C.

Yelp

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.

Anthony D.

Yelp

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.

Choua T.

Yelp

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.

Tom Z.

Yelp

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!

Connie K.

Yelp

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.

Steve B.

Yelp

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.

Carrie L.

Yelp

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.

Gaby G.

Yelp

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

Kaoru M.

Yelp

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!

Eli D.

Yelp

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!

Sheila E.

Yelp

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.

Alex D.

Yelp

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！

Surdeep C.

Yelp

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.

Walker W.

Yelp

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.

Nicholas K.

Yelp

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.

Kentaro T.

Yelp

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!

Andrew M.

Yelp

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

Shusuke K.

Yelp

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

George W.

Yelp

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

Yusuke K.

Yelp

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

Bruno S.

Yelp

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

Masanao K.

Yelp

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.

@eater

Chicago’s Best Cozy Comfort Food Restaurants for Winter

View Postcard for Katsu-Shack

@eater

The Hottest New Restaurants in Chicago, November 2024

View Postcard for Katsu-Shack

@infatuation

Katsu-Shack - Review - Chicago - The Infatuation

View Postcard for Katsu-Shack

sakae otsuka

Google

Ryan McCaffrey

Google

H K

Google

I'm not a really picky eater but I kind of lost my appetite after eating here. The bottom of the bowl had rotten vegetables and the edamame was frozen - overall terrible experience.

Kaz Tanaka

Google

Tom Zeien

Google

Chicago Bae Reviews

Google

Linda Hainsworth

Google

Hugo

Google

The cutlet sandwich is voluminous, tender and satisfying enought. I recommend adding curry sauce to your sandwich, as it is a great way to add a little extra flavor.

Shin H.

Yelp

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

Jen F.

Yelp

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

Yvonne I.

Yelp

Joseph S.

Yelp

Wendy V.

Yelp

Trip Archer R.

Yelp

Cheryl W.

Yelp

Jose C.

Yelp

Anthony D.

Yelp

Choua T.

Yelp

Tom Z.

Yelp

Connie K.

Yelp

Steve B.

Yelp

Carrie L.

Yelp

Gaby G.

Yelp

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

Kaoru M.

Yelp

Eli D.

Yelp

Sheila E.

Yelp

Alex D.

Yelp

Surdeep C.

Yelp

Walker W.

Yelp

Nicholas K.

Yelp

Kentaro T.

Yelp

Andrew M.

Yelp

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

Shusuke K.

Yelp

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

George W.

Yelp

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

Yusuke K.

Yelp

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

Bruno S.

Yelp

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

Masanao K.

Yelp

Katsu-Shack

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