Located in Fukuoka City, Tonkatsu Wakaba (ใจใใใคใใ่, not to be confused with another small national chain with the same name that is run by Yoshimi!) is a premiere pork loin, pork cutlets and pork curry restaurant. With one of the highest ratings in Fukuoka, a city known for amazing foods, on Tabelog, a Japanese restaurant rating and reservation app, I had to try it!
Menu
While the menu at Tonkatsu Wakaba varies based on seasons and availability, it always contains pork items. The most common are pork cutlets, of which there are various grades and qualities, and other dishes that use pork cutlets, such as a tonkatsu curry.
There are also rice bowls with pork called katsudon, such as the egg and pork cutlet bowl pictured below.
When you order, you also receive a small dish of tofu and minced pork meat. In the picture above, that was in the white bowl above the tray. The yellow bits that remain are mustard, which was an excellent addition to the flavour.
Locations and opening times
Tonkatsu Wakaba
They are three locations in Fukuoka at present. The main store is in Tenjin near Tenjin Station. The exact location is here (Google Maps).
It is open every day, with a break during the mid-afternoon period. From Mondays to Saturdays, it is open from 10:30 to 14:30 and then again from 17:00 to 20:45. On Sundays it is open from 10:30 to 14:30 and again from 17:00 to 19:45.
This location has the full menu, including tonkatsu dishes, sets and more. Note that when they run out of supplies, that is the end of business and they close.
Katsudon Wakaba
There is a second location in Tenjin called Katsudon Wakaba (ใใคไธผใใ่ ไปๆณๅบ, Google Maps), which specialises in Katsudon (rice bowls with pork cutlet).
It is open every day, but closes for the mid-afternoon period. It is open from 11:00 to 15:45 and then again from 17:00 to 21:30 everyday.
This location has a reduced menu that focuses on variations of katsudon (pork cutlet rice bowls). Note that when they run out of supplies, that is the end of business and they close.
Tonkatsu Wakaba Chikushiguchi
There is also a location in Hakata called Tonkatsu Wakaba Chikushiguchi (ใจใใใคใใ่ ็ญ็ดซๅฃๅบ, Google Maps).
It is open every day, also closing for the mid-afternoon period. From Mondays to Saturdays, it is open from 11:00 to 14:30 and then again from 17:00 to 20:45. On Sundays it is open from 11:00 to 14:30 and then again from 17:00 to 19:45.
This location has the full menu, including tonkatsu dishes, sets and more. Note that when they run out of supplies, that is the end of business and they close.
My Experience at Tonkatsu Wakaba
In early December 2024 I went to Tonkatsu Wakaba with a friend of mine after working on a project. We were hungry and I suggested this place, which had been both suggested by other friends and I had read good reviews about.
The main store, Tonkatsu Wakaba in Tenjin, has the feeling of an old izakaya. There are 9 counter seats and 4 tables on the ground floor. The counter seats are like a wide bar, allowing you to eat and watch the cooks, who are on the other side creating their culinary masterpieces.
It is also decorated in the style of an upscale, older izakaya, using a lot of wood in the design and darker colours for the walls and flat surfaces.
Tonkatsu Wakaba also has an upper floor, which is accessed via a staircase by the front door. While I did not go up there, there is an area where you have to take off and store your shoes before going up the stairs, so it must have a floor with tatami matting. Most likely, this area is for groups.
I had the tonkatsu (pork cutlet) set, the first image above. My friend had the tonkatsudon (pork cutlet bowl, second image). The tonkatsu was so juicy and delicious and my friend, who is a Japanese person from Itoshima, professed that it was better than any other he had ever eaten, including Kurobuta (black pig) from Kagoshima Prefecture.
The staff were also very attentive and amiable, answering questions we had about the food. While the staff’s knowledge of other languages is limited, they can communicate in basic English and they have English versions of the menu available upon request.
My meal came out to ยฅ1,900 (about $12.67 as of early December 2024) and my friend paid a similar amount. You can pay with cash, cards, and other contactless payments available in Japan, such as QuikPay and PayPay.
Thanks for reading! Want to do some more exploring? Have a look at the travel map:
If you see this after your page is loaded completely, leafletJS files are missing.
Interested in seeing our social media? Follow us on Instagram for travel photos and Youtube for travel videos!
