Tonkatsu Ginza Bairin

Very good with impeccable service. I had the high dollar pork cutlet but I think the superior quality was lost on me. I would do again but opt for a more value-​conscious cut of pork.

Mmmmm, tonkatsu!
Ginza Bairin provided excellent service which I wanted to point out first and foremost. Our group came just 30 min before closing and they were still very friendly and accommodating. They also provided unlimited refills on rice, salad and miso soup:)
I ordered the side order size of their minced kurobata tonkatsu which was amazing. I sadly didn’t try their premium Kurobata tonkatsu as other Unilocalers mentioned it’s hefty price and I just wasn’t that hungry.
Overall, the minced kurobata tasted more like meatball katsu but it was so tender and juicy! Each side order piece was a good size (Palm size Katsu) and a cheap alternative to their full meal.
Left a happy camper :) Reason for the 4 stars instead of 5 is the price and also the other Katsus that my friends ordered and I tried were quite dry and too thick for my liking.

Came here to eat before we headed to the airport, since it was located next to out apartment rental, The Niihau (see review if you are thinking of renting this place from VBRO, There are cockroaches in this apt building). I was exited to try this place out since I saw the great reviews on Unilocal and definitely wanted some good food before the plane ride.
The customer service was great!
However, I was not to impress with the food. The food was not my cup of tea. I did not like the flavor of the sauce, felt like it was more of an acquired taste. Will I be coming back again, most likely not.
One more thing, they automatically added 15% gratuity to the bill. I was kind of shock by this since we were there when it open at 11:00 am and there was only two of us to the party. We would of tipped 15% but it would of been nice if they did not added it automatically.

This place was one of the highlights of our vacation. The service was great and we had a great experience crushing the sesame seeds to make our dipping sauce for the katsu.
We ordered a pork bowl and katsu pork which were both amazing.
You must visit here if staying in Waikiki.

Wow!!! I guess that’s my whole review!
We had reservations at 7 p.m. walked in right at 7. We were seated right away and given the menu we ordered the top-​of-​the-​line tonkatsu plate. It came with miso soup, pickles, grind your own sesame seeds for your own katsu sauce and a great presentation of still cooking rice. Rice was to die for by the way. We waited about 15 minutes for everything to arrive and believe it or not it was one of the best meals I have had in a long long time. Given a 10% kaamaina discount and parking was validated for the Bank of Hawaii parking lot and only cost $ 2 parking. Just go in and buy the best as it is well worth it in my humble opinion. One thing is for sure… WE WILL BE GOING BACK FOR MORE!

This is supposedly the best tonkatsu on the island, was I skeptical? Yes, Wasn’t Tonkatsu just tonkatsu? Apparently not!
–Kurobuta Pork Loin Katsu: wowww so apparently tontaksu isn’t all created equally. The breading… the quality of the meat… it’s worth the hefty price tag!
–Pork tenderloin don: even though this wasn’t the Kurobuta meat, the tonkatsu was still delicious and the egg was perfect.
Tip:
They have grind your own sesame, and they make their sauce in house, so don’t forget to ask for some!

I had the Kurobuta Pork Loin Katsu for lunch and it was amazing. The katsu was fried perfectly and the pork was moist and flavorful. Dipping the katsu into the mixture of ground sesame and tonkatsu sauce added another layer of flavor. The sesame taste really makes the pork flavor come out.
When I come back I will visit here again.

Food is excellent but service is really bad.
There’s only one server during their peak lunch time.
15 min wait to take order
25 min for food
Asked for more tea. Forgot twice.
Asked for more salad. Forgot.
Asked for check. Still waiting…
Tip is included in bill.
Pretty disappointed.

My BFF and I went to this Tonkatsu place for dinner after snorkeling… and I found out that it is the same Tonkatsu place from Japan and HK! :P
I won’t say too much about the food, because it was simply amazing! We love the fact that this place pays attention to detail. For instance, they give you green tea before the meal to open your pallet, and black tea after to balance out the greasy food we just ate! Different options of salad dressings to cater different needs.
Last but the last, Kohita, our service, is probably one of the best server I have ever met, he gave great suggestion on what we should order, pays attention to what customers needs, with a great personality too!
Perfect evening!

Tonkatsu Ginza Bairin (TGB) reminds me of eating in Japan where unlimited refill on soup and rice is served. If your looking for quality Tonkasu, you come to the right place.
TGB serves high quality tonkasu, served with unlimited soup and rice. I haven’t been able to find a place like TGB on the mainland, so I was happy to find this place. The miso soup served was excellent, I knew I was in for a treat. The tonkasu is not oily and delicious. There homemade tonkasu sauce is excellent.
Try TGB lunch specials sets for the best value. I will definitely coming back to TGB when I’m visting the island.

I would give this place 5 stars but the service was a bit slow. We sat at the bar and it took almost 20 minutes for someone to take our order. Fortunately, the wait was worth it. As their name says it all the tonkatsu dishes are delicious. Fried perfectly and not oily. My friend texts halfway through our meal and says to make sure we get the tonkatsu sandwich. We ordered it to go and ended up eating it on our walk back to our hotel. It totally met expectations and then some. Such a simple sandwich of fried pork cutlet breaded with panko and a semi sweet sauce between white bread, of course with the crust cut off. Wish we had this place back home.

Great Tonkatsu place in Waikiki. Parking is through the First Hawaiian Building lot down the ramp, right before the building with the restaurant– 1.5 hour validation for $ 2.
They had several dishes that were quite great. I found their calamari appetizer to be delicious– nicely fried outside with a flavorful salty curry powder you can dip it in. That is a must try!
Their Katsu Curry meal was also good– felt that their curry flavoring was nice. Their Tonkatsu donbori was also pretty good as well (but nothing super special also). The reason stopping 5 stars was their «star» Tonkatsu dish ($ 36) being not that special. The meat wasn’t as juicy as I was hoping and not «special» enough to warrant the high price.
Overall a great place to stop by for Tokatsu– just would recommend sticking with the regular dishes and not their «special».

This has been on my bucket list for a long time. Since 2012 I think. As a self-​proclaimed tonkatsu snob, I have high expectations on tonkatsu. If I could eat anything in the world, it would be tonkatsu.
Here’s the deal. I ordered the Kurobuta loin tonkatsu which is not cheap. It retailed at $ 40 per serving, but it is worth the money. It is 7 ounces of delicious goodness that is cooked to perfection. Eaten with the katsu sauce with the crushed sesame seeds will send your mouth to foodgasmic mode.
There are other cuts and variations to order from on their menu, but I encourage you to try the Kurobuta.
The establishment is small, so it is highly advisable to make reservations in advance.
The service here was excellent. Everything came out in a quick and in a fast manner that we did not have to wait, especially since the establishment is located in Waikiki.
They validate 2 hours parking or you can find street.
A special acknowledgement to Rod U. since I read his review (s), and you should too, for making me aware of Tonkatsu Ginza Bairin.

One of my absolute favorite meals on Oahu. Recommended by Stephanie B. of San Jose, Tonkatsu Ginza Bairin whips up the best pork tonkatsu you will ever try in the states. It is located in an alleyway near a big hotel. I initially thought it was a tourist trap but man was I wrong. The experience, from beginning to end, was really delightful. You get to grind your own sesame seeds — «flick of da wrist». The freshly grounded sesame seeds are fragrant. It’s not only theatrical but serves an actual purpose. The rice is served in a small stone pot. The fire is still burning underneath the pot while it’s sitting on your table. Quite possibly the best rice at a restaurant I have ever tried. The tonkatsu itself is juicy with excellent breading on the outside. The pieces of pork are generous sizes. I liked ordering extra gravy and dunking the tonkatsu in them. The tonkatsu sandwich was great as was the calamari.
It goes without saying that I highly recommend TGB. But be warned. You try the tonkatsu here once and you will forever be spoiled.

I am a big fan of Katsu curry so just had to give this place a try. I was surprised to learn they are a chain restaurant but this is the only US location. It is a small place but they do the right ambiance to give you the fell you are in Japan. The staff was exceptionally friendly with a greeting as soon as we walked in and thanks when we left.
I ordered the Katsu Loco Moco which was pretty good except for the egg being overcooked. I had asked for sunny side up but it was truly overdone. Other than that the dish was very good and the curry had such good taste and a really good depth of flavors. The pork tenderloin was cooked to perfection with the great panko crust and still nice and juicy pork inside. The wife got the Bairin Special Pork Tenderloin Katsu-​Don. She loved it and that’s was surprising as she doesn’t like Japanese curry places as much as I do.
Our dishes came with miso soup which was very flavorful and tasty. We also got their cabbage salads with our meal with the sesame dressings. I really enjoyed it despite not being a big fan of cabbage. We ordered the calamari which was pretty chewy and due to being overcooked didn’t taste as good as it should have. I would not order this again.
Their prices are on the high side but the curry dishes are very good and worth the price you pay. I also had a Chu-​Hi peach flavor which was very good and refreshing. Next time I go I will just ordered a mina dish and not an appetizer as the main dish is plenty of food.

Came here upon the recommendation of a friend, who is also a fellow Unilocaler — Angeline K., and their Tonkatsu is by far one of the most tender porks I’ve ever had. I have to admit that the price is pretty steep, but if you’ve never had Tonkatsu Ginza Bairin, it’s definitely worth a try.
Came here for a snack with the Mrs. around 2−3pm, no line or wait at all… only 2 other parties sitting inside. The restaurant is somewhat small, can probably fit about 30 people. It’s not too hard to find and we walked here from our hotel.
Their two most popular choices it seems is the Kurobuta Pork Loin ($ 32 – 36.can’t remember) and Thick Cut Pork Loin ($ 22 — 24… can’t remember either). We came on a weekend so we couldn’t take advantage of their lunch special as everyone else raves about. The Mrs. and I decide to share one since we were snacking throughout Waikiki.
I told the Mrs. that I think I ate at their Japan location since I went about 10 years ago so it’s really hard for me to remember back. We decided to order the Thick Cut Pork Loin and it comes with rice, pickled cabbage, miso soup, bed of thinly sliced cabbage with your choice of a yuzu dressing or a miso cream dresing… both delicious… and your tonkatsu.
Note that they offer free refills on rice, cabbage, and miso soup… which is awesome… and also which I think why each entrée is on the pricier side. Their staff was more than attentive, friendly, and even brought us hot tea at the end of the meal without asking.
The Mrs. wasn’t blown away since there’s a place in LA called Wako Tonkatsu which is much cheaper and just as good in her opinion.

Walked straight in on a Sunday afternoon. Small place. Very limited menu (which isn’t a bad thing in my foodie experience).
Ordered the pork don buri. Pork was pretty tasty, not too tough. Sauce was good. Came with a tasty salad and miso soup for $ 25.
Was pretty slow coming out but I think they cook to order, so at least it was fresh.
I didn’t like how they already put 15% service on the bill BEFORE they ask you to close it out. Can trick you into tipping on top. But otherwise, a great little lunch spot.

Yum!
It’s Thanksgiving, rainy, and we only have one umbrella. I didn’t want to walk very far from our hotel so we did some research and found ourselves this cute spot for a late lunch.
I’d recommend making a reservation since it’s small and the wait can range from 10 – 40 minutes. We were lucky to get the last table. It was the one by the door and the floor is uneven but I was glad to have it.
M and I both got the kurobuta pork special which is the most expensive item, but well worth the cost. The pork was thick but very juicy. The coating was perfect and even though it’s fried, it didn’t burn your mouth at first bite.
It comes with miso soup, rice, and salad. You can choose either a Japanese soy sauce based dressing, or a creamy miso dressing. The creamy dressing was a little bland.
M ordered a side of the curry sauce which was amazing. It was smooth, and had a glaze quality to it. There was a little spicy kick which was nice. Luckily he shared with me. The katsu sauce served on the table was also very good. I couldn’t decide which I liked better with the pork.
The special panna cotta for the day was cranberry. It was sooooo good! If it wasn’t in a jar I would have probably licked it cleaned.
Service is very very courteous.
We liked it so much that we made a reservation for the next day. Yep, it’s that good!

One of the best Japanese restaurant experience!
Personal super nice, courteous, and very welcoming!
Seating cozy, family style.
We shared many food items, they were all excellent, and super tasty, with an original traditional presentation!
Highly recommend the Mixed Katsu Set and the Fried Calamari!
Be ready to have some fun and grind some roasted sesame seeds to create your Katsu sauce.

The Good:
— I have yet to find a place that does a respectable katsu in the states, and I think I just met my match. The execution of the Katsu was perfect. I had mine thick cut and was delighted with the sealing of the moisture in the cut of meat, the perfectly breaded crust, and the perfect fry both inside and out.
The Not So Good:
— has turned into somewhat of a tourist trap after being featured in numerous outlets, so you can expect a wait.
— Some may think this is a comfort food and nothing special, which really undermines the attention to details here!
— Katsu is all they serve and is the emphasis.
Bottom Line:
World class katsu. Best you will have in the states outside of Japan. While this may seem like commoner comfort food to some, the execution was meticulous from the grated daikon, to the katsu sauce, to the roasted sesame seeds. Ginza Bairin has transformed katsu into an artform.