Niimura Shinjuku: Affordable Tonkatsu in Tokyo, Japan

Niimura, an affordable tonkatsu restaurant in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan

Niimura, located in the Shinjuku district of Tokyo, Japan, is a restaurant specializing in tonkatsu, or Japanese fried pork cutlets.

Before my visit, I had never heard of Niimura. I only noticed the restaurant thanks to a sign in front that displayed a Deep-Fried Pork Cutlet Set with rice and miso soup for 1800 yen.

Niimura has several locations in the Shinjuku area. Some branches serve meat dishes, including shabu-shabu and sukiyaki, while others serve tonkatsu.

During my visit to Shinjuku, I stopped by the Niimura Main Store, which serves tonkatsu.

Interior of Niimura

The first floor, Niimura, Tokyo, Japan — The first floor

Niimura had two floors. On my visit, a worker walked me to a table in the corner of the dining room on the second floor.

The first floor had a few tables, counter seating, and the kitchen. Only a few customers dined on this floor.

The second floor had a small but open and bright dining room. When I arrived, I was the only customer on this floor.

Both dining rooms were quiet and had modern yet traditional Japanese décor with wooden accents. I also enjoyed how clean the rooms and tables were. The place was spotless.

Niimura Menu

Everything on the menu at Niimura consisted of tonkatsu and other fried goodies. You could choose sets with pork tenderloin or pork loin, including fried prawns or ‘meat cheese.’

Two pages featured Kurobuta fried pork cutlets. Kurobuta pork, or Berkshire pork, is a premium breed known for its rich flavor, tenderness, and juiciness.

Highly prized in Japanese cuisine, the Kurobuta pork options were more expensive, with 3500 to 5000 yen sets.

Besides Kurobuta pork, there were more affordable options, including the Deep-Fried Pork Cutlet Set for 1800 yen.

Depending on which set you select, the pork cutlet will weigh between 120 and 210 grams. And all sets come with miso soup, rice, and cabbage.

As for beverages, there were soft drinks, juice, tea, and coffee, along with beer, liquor, and sake.

Deep-Fried Pork Cutlet Set

While the menu had many great options, I couldn’t pass up the Deep-Fried Pork Cutlet Set (1800 yen). The set included a 150-gram (5.3 ounces) pork loin cutlet, rice, miso soup, cabbage, and pickled vegetables.

The tonkatsu breading was neither crispy nor soggy and held up without falling apart. The meat was simple and moist, lean yet not dry, with a sliver of fat that added flavor. Considering the price, the quality matched my expectations.

The miso soup was simple yet rich and umami. It had a perfectly balanced salty flavor. While there was no seaweed in the soup, there were tender carrots and small bits of lean pork.

On a cold night in Tokyo, this miso soup was just what I needed to warm up.

The final parts of the set were a generous portion of cabbage, white rice, and crunchy yet tender pickled vegetables.

I enjoyed how the crispy cabbage and salty, tangy pickled vegetables complemented the richness of the pork tonkatsu. The cabbage was also refillable, which I took advantage of a few times.

Condiments

On each table was an assortment of condiments, a common sight at most tonkatsu restaurants in Japan.

There was a homemade tonkatsu sauce, which I drizzled over the pork cutlet, and sesame dressing, which I used on the cabbage.

The thick homemade tonkatsu sauce had a salty and sweet flavor, which reminded me of Worcestershire. Its flavors complemented the richness of the pork.

On the other hand, the sesame dressing was light and refreshing with a nutty, garlicky flavor. The dressing elevated the flavor of the otherwise simple cabbage.

Service at Niimura

On my visit, it was a cold winter night, so the restaurant was not busy. I was the only customer dining on the second floor when I arrived.

At my table, there was a button. Whenever I needed service, I would press the button, and a server would come rushing over. While this might sound strange, it is common in many countries, including Japan and Korea.

The attentiveness of the servers, who ran to my table the second I pressed the button, made Niimura’s service excellent during my visit.

Conclusion

I only gave Niimura a chance because of their 1800 yen Deep-Fried Pork Cutlet Set, and I’m glad I did.

While I wouldn’t list Niimura among the top tonkatsu restaurants in Tokyo, it was great for its value and quality.

Niimura would be an excellent choice for visitors to Tokyo who want to try tonkatsu for the first time or for those who need a quick and casual meal in Shinjuku that won’t break the bank.

I recommend Niimura for its affordable food, central location, efficient service, and clean and modern dining room. However, if you want to try a higher quality tonkatsu, you can find it elsewhere for only a little more yen.