I was craving katsu and this really hit the spot. I was surprised to see such a long queue on a Tuesday night, and they quoted us 1.5hr wait for a party of 5. It went by quickly and ended up only waiting for an hour. The waitress also took our food order while we waited for our table to be ready, which was really nice! We got our food not too long after being seated. There's many options on how you would like your katsu, and you can also choose the cut of the pork you want whether it's more lean or if you want something fattier. The panko breading is perfectly crispy and the meat remains so juicy! Our group chose katsu curry (really nice and rich flavor, more on the sweeter side), the tomato and cheese (surprisingly good and not overwhelming), and katsu don (simmered in egg and sauce). Most of the styles you can upgrade with a $5 set that includes cabbage salad, japanese pickles and miso soup. At the table they have tonkatsu sauce and a sesame dressing for the salad that you can use. Overall, definitely makes for a nice filling meal! I can't wait to come back and try their other styles. Service was very kind and fast, 10/10 would recommend read more

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This was actually probably the best katsu I've had in a really long time. It was pretty packed in there so you have a time limit of 1.5 hours, but they bring the food out quickly. You know the place is good when they specialize ONLY in katsu. There are even different grades of meat; and the cheapest one that I got, which is the hire katsu (the curry version), was still juicy and the breading was amazing. Not dry at all. The curry itself was a good Japanese curry, much better than any boxed Japanese curry. The pieces were also massive, I was very full afterward. They do give a lot of rice at all, would be good for sharing. You can add a salad + miso for $5, which one of my friends did do. read more

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I waited over hour to eat here, and it was worth the wait! The katsu is absolutely out of this world, and I really felt transported to Japan when I saw my tray of food with all its little accoutrements. I got the mozzarella katsu, which was everything I had dreamed of and more. Think of the best mozzarella stick of your life wrapped in pork and then fried to crispy perfection, served with delicious katsu sauce. It was heavenly. My husband and friend got the katsu curry, which tasted a little different than other Japanese curries we've tried, as it's soupier and more sour, but it was still very good, absinthe katsu itself was faultless. We loved the pickles that came on the side, the perfectly cooked rice, and the abundant shredded cabbage with the most addictive sesame dressing that was the perfect palate cleanser for all that heavy katsu. Prices were fair for the quality of the food and the abundant portions (we really had to struggle to finish). Be prepared to wait a very long time. We ended up walking to a nearby bar for some pre-dinner drinks, which helped the wait go by much faster. read more

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A fantastic restaurant located in Capitol Hill with high-quality food and excellent service and a chic modern atmosphere. There's a variety of options for Katsu and none of them are the wrong choice. We grabbed the Curry Jidori and the Oroshi Iberico. Both dishes were fresh, perfectly portioned, and cooked to perfection. The Katsu was crispy and the Iberico was juicy and tender. The curry was flavorful and the shaved radish and sauce with the Oroshi was paired perfectly. With so many dishes to choose from, I will definitely be back to try more. Note that there is street parking and tables are first come first served. There was already a line forming 15 minutes before opening and by the time we were leaving the wait was 1.5 hours. Recommend to get there early unless prepared to wait a bit. However, this is a place you do not want to miss out on and is worth the wait! read more

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A great restaurant for devouring succulent katsu. There are multiple options for your porky preference and each one varies in its leanness and place of origin. The miso soup is strong and compliments the savory dishes adequately, residing as a suitable palate cleansing substitute to its lesser arch-nemesis (ginger). Lastly, they give a generous amount of cabbage in their salad, reminiscent of my time as a giddy gazelle grazing along the North African savannah. read more

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We had an outstanding meal at Kobuta and Ookami. This restaurant served some of the best tonkatsu I've had anywhere, including Japan. This restaurant specializes in it -- Japanese deep-fried pork (and chicken) cutlets. You won't find anything else on the menu here. That's all you need to know. If you want details, keep reading. I noticed right away from our server's accent that he's Thai. It turns out that Kobuta and Ookami is owned and operated by Thai people. Kobuta and Ookami is Japanese for piglet and wolf, which make up the restaurant's logo. The wolf looks a lot like the wolf from the 2006 video game Ōkami. This is the first location. It opened in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Seattle in September 2021. A second and much bigger location opened in Redmond in May 2023. For this visit, we parked for free around the corner on E John St. Our party of four showed up on a Wednesday at 11:54am. At that time, the restaurant had several open tables and we were seated immediately. We left by 1:14pm. During our visit, it got busy, but never 100% full. This location is fairly small. I guesstimate the dining room and bar can seat about 35 people total. This place is popular. They'll accept reservations for parties of six or more, booked at least 24 hours in advance. Unlike the Redmond location, which allows you to book online via Toast, you have to call this location at 206-708-7856 to book. Kobuta and Ookami offers six main styles of katsu: regular, miso (served with Nagoya-style miso sauce), nabe (served in a clay pot, like a boiling soup), oroshi (served with grated radish and ponzu sauce), tomato and cheese (served with house tomato-miso sauce and grated Parmesan cheese), and curry. Within each style, you can choose different types of katsu - from different cuts of pork to chicken and prawns. It's rare for a Japanese restaurant in America to have different pork options for tonkatsu. The restaurant also offers a decent selection of sake, including sake flights, as well as Sapporo and Asahi Japanese draft beer, Ramune, Kobe Kyoryuchi Cider, and cold-brew iced teas. Below is a list of what we ordered and shared, with prices to give you an idea about cost. * Miso Katsu Iberico ($31) - pork tenderloin cutlet with Nagoya-style sweet miso sauce; served with rice, miso soup, shredded cabbage, and housemade pickles * Nabe Katsu Kurobuta ($31) - pork loin cutlet with vegetables simmered in savory sauce and an egg in clay pot; served with rice, shredded cabbage, and housemade pickles * Oroshi Katsu Kurobuta ($28) - pork loin cutlet with grated radish and ponzu sauce; served with rice, miso soup, shredded cabbage, and housemade pickles * Curry Katsu Kurobuta ($27) Set (+$5) - housemade dark chocolate curry; served over rice and housemade pickles plus the set that adds shredded cabbage, housemade pickles, and miso soup Everything was delicious. In general, the ingredients were fresh and high quality. The portion sizes were generous. We left the restaurant full and satisfied. All the dishes were presented beautifully on wooden trays. There is a fine attention to detail here. When it came to the different styles of katsu, they were really different. In other words, not cheap or lazy ingredient swaps, which I appreciated. I didn't have a favorite nor do I have a recommendation. It's all about what you like and/or are in the mood for. When it comes to the pork cutlets, the Kurobuta is the fattier cut while the Iberico is the leaner cut (the menu doesn't mention this). The Miso Katsu came with a mini mortar and pestle, which was kind of fun. We grinded and mixed the miso paste with sesame seeds ourselves. The sauce was sweet, rich, and flavorful. I enjoyed it. The Nabe Katsu had the most elaborate presentation because of the clay pot, complete with a burning flame underneath. The soup stayed simmering and hot. Along with the tonkatsu, the clay pot contained a yellow egg yolk, two kinds of seaweed, two kinds of mushroom (shitake and hon-shimeji or white beech), and maybe one other vegetable (I forget). The broth had terrific flavor. It was packed with umami. The Oroshi Katsu was the simplest and lightest of the four different styles we ordered and it was still very good. The tonkatsu was topped with lots of finely-grated radish and the ponzu was served on the side. It was tangy and gratifying. The Curry Katsu was filling and comforting. This is a good one to order in the fall/winter along with the Nabe Katsu. I could see why the Curry Katsu was the only one with the "Set" option as additional because the Curry Katsu plate by itself was already a substantial portion. The pickles, included with every dish we got, were refreshing and tasty. The pickles were small and included items like eggplant and/or zucchini (I think), jalapeno peppers, radish, and lotus root. As for the cabbage, there was lots of it and each serving came with tomato and lemon wedges (no lemon with the Curry Set). Excellent service. read more

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I came here excited to eat thick katsu, but was not prepared for the mountain of cabbage! The cabbage ended up being very refreshing and a nice accompaniment to the fried pork. I tried their classic rosu katsu ($20) and my partner got the classic kurobuta katsu ($27). Quite honestly, I couldn't tell the difference between the two, so if you are not a pork connoisseur and are just looking for a slightly fattier cut, I would recommend going with the rosu. The sesame seeds that you freshly grind yourself are such a nice touch and add so much flavor to the dish. I found that the katsu was a little underseasoned and ended up relying a lot on the sauce for flavor. Unfortunately this meant that I did not get to appreciate the crispy breading as much since I dunked my katsu pieces in a lot of sauce. It sounds like the other dishes might be more flavorful (such as the cheese katsu or katsu curry). I liked how everything was fresh and good quality, so even though I found my dish to be a little bland, I would happily come back to try something else from their menu. read more

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If you're into Japanese bento style food, this is a great place to try. They have the traditional katsu rice along with some fusion and special sauces. The katsu is crunchy and juicy with the signature sesame grinding that you do yourself. The cabbage salad is shredded nice and thin along with a tasty sesame sauce. I highly recommend if you're in the area. Parking is limited on the street. Service and atmosphere are both really nice and bright. Little on the pricey side, but their presentation of the food is on par. read more

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So I was very very excited to check out this place based on the online reviews and the menu and waited outside the restaurant 30 minutes before opening time (we were second in line), which was the right move because by the time the restaurant opened for lunch a huge line had formed and not everyone was able to be seated. First off, I love the interior decor and the way the space is arranged inside. The staff were all very friendly and attentive and came by to check in pretty regularly. In terms of the food though, I found myself feeling a little disappointed with the katsu dish I ordered. For the appetizer I ordered the kaki furai which tasted phenomenal and the dip that it came with was absolutely delicious (some sort of lime aioli dip). For the main dish I ordered the hire oroshi katsu and I found myself feeling disappointed with the sauce selection they had for the katsu as well as the seasoning of the katsu pieces. Their house made tonkatsu sauce was a little too sweet for my taste and I found the ponzu sauce to be a little too bland to pair with the katsu and the oroshi. I really wanted to love the katsu because I was so excited to try it and had high expectations, but unfortunately it fell short for me. I still think this restaurant is worth four stars though because the appetizer dish was absolutely delicious and I only got to try one dish on their menu. read more

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Was super excited for this place, only visiting Seattle for the spring break, waited the entire day for this meal. When we arrived the place was full and the waitlist told us an hr wait. We were like okay fine since we did come on a Friday. We walked around Capitol Hill and came back in around an hr and has been keeping track of the time, but when we got back we still had to wait for another half an hr. Honestly by that time we were starving. Kinda was a little bit upset. The service was great tho, they tried to place orders for us before we even get seated so we did get our food within 10 mins. First of all. We were pretty hungry so we loved the karaage. But what can go wrong with karaage tho? Second of all. The soups were all super salty. I tried to have the katsu with my miso soup to cleanse my palette but it didn't do the job as I expected. My bf got nabe katsu and the soup was also salty. But his meal was more acceptable cuz he can eat with the rice. The rice was RLLY good. Super soft . The rosu katsu was not as fatty as I expected. Super hard even tho it was soaked in soup. I rlly think it was over cooked . Long story short . We had better katsu somewhere else, and this place was not cheap. Would not come back again. read more

Kobuta And Ookami - Matcha tiramisu - Japanese Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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this is probably most comparable to katsu from japan. the pork was tender, and the breading was crispy. i had the mozzarella katsu and the cheese pull was super satisfying :) also came with sides that helped enhance the flavor of the whole meal. there were a lot of people so we had to wait a bit, but service was fast. the host took our orders while we were waiting, so our food came out a few minutes after we got seated. ordered: mozzarella katsu hire oroshi katsu rosu oroshi katsu read more

Kobuta And Ookami - mozzarella katsu - Japanese Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Overall a great Katsu place in Seattle that we were excited to try after another friend reviewed on Yelp! Service was quick and friendly - we arrived at 7pm on a Sunday night and waited about an hour before being seated. Interior is clean, roomy, and modern with comfortable seating. About 10 tables available plus a handful of seats at the bar. Likely better for parties of 2-4 without children since it's hard to fit a stroller somewhere. We ordered: 4.5/5 - Tomato Mozzarella Cheese Katsu. This unique dish was easily the tastiest thing we had there! Their tomato miso sauce really makes this dish what it is!!! We regret ordering the stuffed mozzarella version since it became way too much cheese. We should have ordered a regular Katsu that still came with the tomato and mozzarella sauce - just less cheese so the meat itself wasn't so stuffed. I ended up digging out the cheese in 3/4 of the Katsu pieces because there was just so much!! 4/5 - Kurobuta Katsu. Not too fatty, just your standard, crispy pork Katsu executed well. Comes with sesame seeds that you grind yourself and add the Katsu sauce into. 3/5 - Iberico pork side ($21). You can order their various cuts as sides or a la carte so we asked for this one on the side. It's not listed on their menu but you can definitely order it. We were pretty disappointed in this cut because it was so so dry (see our photo comparisons of the cuts!). We covered this was sauce and it was okay but overall it's very very lean, making it easily dry. We didn't feel like this was worth the price tag. 3.5/5 - Curry. We got a curry sauce on the side ($6) just to try since we both love curry and didn't want to get a whole dish of it. The menu says it's chocolate infused curry sauce - which is pretty unique. Unfortunately the portion was in a tiny, tea cup sized container and we didn't really taste any chocolate or anything more unique. It was fine, just standard curry sauce. 4/5 for the cabbage and the sesame dressing; it was delicious. 2.5/5 for the miso soup. This was incredibly salty and felt like typical grocery story instant miso soup. It's a real mixed bag and you definitely should be mindful of what you order. Overall a solid place but we were really eager to give it a 5/5 but just couldn't given a variety of factors above. read more

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First time trying Mozzarella Kubota Pork! This place has multiple locations & we went to the one in Cap Hill. There was no wait for a weekday, we got seated very quickly! The servers here are very kind & explained some items but most of the items are explained on the menu! The food is delicious! The pork was moist & the mozzarella made it even better! The sauce and side salad that accompanied the dish was also really good! Would definitely come again & maybe try their other items too! read more

Kobuta And Ookami - Mozzarella Tomato - Japanese Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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This was my first stop after landing in Seattle and it definitely started my trip on a high note! The katsu itself was perfect - we ordered the miso katsu and the curry katsu (both with their "premium" Kurobuta pork). It's around 5-6 oz of pork, thick and juicy with well-fried with panko breading. The only difference between the miso katsu and the standard katsu is the additional miso sauce for $1, which comes on the side as a dip (which is great! Keeps the katsu nice and crispy). The miso sauce was really unique and I'd definitely recommend getting it to try over just the plain katsu, especially since you can also opt to eat some with the standard katsu sauce on the table (my favorite was actually a mix of the standard katsu sauce and the miso sauce). There was a relatively decent wait (~25 minutes on a Saturday night) and you have to leave your name in person on the waitlist, but you can walk around afterwards if you want and come back when they text you. read more

Kobuta And Ookami - Miso katsu (sauce is served on the side) with cabbage salad, miso soup, and white rice - Japanese Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Arrived at 11:45AM on a Sunday. Didn't think it would be so popular but a minute later a line started forming at the door so I lined up behind the other patrons. By 12, the restaurant was fully seated and there were still people who had lined up closer to 12 that didn't make the cut for the first seating and had to join the waitlist. I was in a rush since I had to be somewhere at 1 but we ordered and ate quickly. We weren't that hungry so we just ordered an Iberico Curry and a side of Rosu so we could compare the meat. Also upgraded the curry to the set which included Miso Soup. I think this was my first time ever eating Iberico pork. I've had Kurobuta before so I wanted to try something new. It was tender alright but taste wise I didn't feel much of a difference. I don't think it was the price in upgrade but at least I got to try it. Rosu was also solid, no complaints. The side also came with mustard, which is cool because I almost debated buying the mustard on the side. Miso soup was tiny, about half the portion you normally receive from other restaurants, but it was your typical miso soup, nothing crazy. As for the curry, I know they mention that they use dark chocolate, but I didn't think I would notice. Not sure if I did, but overall the curry seemed very nutty, and not spice-y at all. Both porks also came with a heaping pile of cabbage but again since we were in a rush and not hungry we just skipped it. Service was great, glad I got to try, but probably wouldn't get Iberico again. read more

The Katsu and curry are top tier and honestly the best I've had in the Seattle Metropolitan area. The crust was flaky and did not feel oily at all. The curry was superb and the sesame dressing was perfect for the cabbage. We were told the wait would be 20-30 minutes on a Saturday at 1:15pm. We ended up waiting 45 minutes. What would've raised this from a 4 to 5 star is how staff deal with customers who's paid and just sits at the table. We unfortunately watched staff hesitate asking a party of 2 sit at a party of 4 table for over 15 minutes after they paid. The staff didn't end up urging them to be mindful of the people waiting; the customers left on their own. read more

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I've been here maybe 5 times since we found it last summer and it is the best food I've ever tried. I crave this one's a month and genuinely haven't had better katsu. Everyone is so nice and gives amazing service. The place is nice and ambiance is on point. read more

This is a katsu lovers paradise. ak.a., this is my dream restaurant. This is a must visit for sure. Juicy meat, crispy coating, and a bowl full of assorted sides. * I ordered a Katsu Nabe, which comes with a wealth of sides. In the bowl itself, there are two types of mushrooms, a bed of scrambled eggs below, greens, liquid yolk, and of course, a massive pork katsu. The katsu is delicious dipped in the soup, but as a first step, I took the katsu out -- *then, I dipped the meat in as I ate. The rice is high quality, as are all the ingredients in the dish. * Pro tip: The menu is overwhelming. To make ordering easier, break up ordering into two parts. First, decide on the kind of dish. These are the sections on the menu. Do you want curry? Do you want nabe? Do you want a donburi? Second, *then decide on the level of fattiness in the pork. * The restaurant itself is nicely decorated, and the vibes are perfect for nice occasions. Friendly staff, delicious food, and a really nice Japanese (from my outsider's perspective anyways) ambiance! I look forward to coming back myself, and if you're on the fence, it's worth the wait! read more

Kobuta And Ookami - Katsu Nabe - Japanese Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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My new katsu place! The staff were super friendly and attentive. There is a bit of a wait though and the restaurant isn't super big, so I'd get there early to avoid having to wait too long! I got the rosu katsu, and it was delicious. The outside was perfectly crispy, and the pork inside was tender and juicy. The peanut sauce dressing was super tasty too and complemented the salad beautifully. I'm already excited to come back and explore more of the menu! read more

Kobuta And Ookami - Rosu katsu - Japanese Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Came by for dinner on Friday night, was expecting a huge crowd but surprisingly not too bad. Katsu is one of my favorite food, I love checking out places serving Katsu especially when the place specializes in it. The wait was about 25 minutes and the waitress took our order before seated us to save time, which was nice. We ordered the Katsu Nanban Kurobuta, Katsu Curry Rosu and the Karaage. The Katsu Nanban is nicely done and very flavorful in itself. The Katsu Curry Rosu honestly is a bit of let down. I was expecting the pork to be more flavorful since it is supposed to have more fat, but it was pretty lean for some reason, maybe they mixed up? The karaage is interesting, I did not realize it was made of pork instead of chicken and was wondering why it was so dry. The sauce did not help either, I would skip it. Service is pretty attentive, the waitress kept our water filled and brought a box for the food that we couldn't finish. It's too bad that I had higher hope for the food but left a bit disappointed. read more

My favorite katsu place in Seattle! I've brought many friends visiting Seattle to this local gem and they've all been super impressed! My personal favorite is the cheese katsu which has a super nice cheese pull and crispy exterior! I love mashing up the sesame seeds, creating an aromatic scent, and adding katsu sauce to create a perfect dip! The crunchy cabbage with sesame sauce helps balance the dish and brings a light aspect! The servers give very thorough explanations of the different cuts of pork. I also love the decorations inside! Sitting at the bar lets you see some behind the scenes kitchen preparations :) read more

Kobuta And Ookami - cheese katsu - Japanese Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Having this good of a katsu restaurant in the neighborhood is going to be bad for my wallet and waistline, but hey, it's amazing for the taste buds. To be honest, the wait at peak dinner times is pretty brutal, especially if your party size is over 2 but under 6. They have a pretty limited number of 4-tops, and you can only make a reservation for parties of 6 or more. So if you have 3-5 people, you're stuck waiting for a pretty long time. I generally hate waiting any more than 15 minutes for a table, and wouldn't have done so of my own volition, but our party was quoted a 45 minute wait that ended up being just over an hour. They do thankfully let you put in your order while you wait, so we opted to do that and that made it so that our food arrived just a few minutes after we were seated. In terms of the food, this is a katsu restaurant through and through. It's pretty much all pork katsu, aside from a couple of chicken and shrimp options. Do not take your vegetarian loved ones here. They will be sad. They have a handful of different options (katsu with miso sauce, with curry, with tomato and cheese, in nabe format) and with each option you can choose from several different meats (regular tenderloin vs iberico vs kurobuta, etc). You can't go wrong with the regular katsu, but I tried the hire katsu curry set and one of my dinner buddies tried the mozzarella katsu with the tomato cheese sauce (not for the lactose intolerant). We were all really happy with our meals and I was so incredibly full. The curry is delicious, and plentiful, and is a perfect accompaniment to the tender and crispy tenderloin katsu. Katsu sauce and sesame dressing for the cabbage is on the table for you, and I would highly recommend making use of them. I think if you're not super hungry, getting a regular katsu set is plenty, but if you're really hungry, the katsu curry set will fill you right up. Prices are...not cheap, everything is over 20 dollars, but is about on par for the neighborhood and the quality of food. Service is quite good. Do note that they have some unusual policies such as no takeout and the whole "no reservations for parties under 6" thing. read more

Katsu doubters, I have a challenge for you-- try to dislike katsu after trying Kobuta And Ookami. I'm serious. They have katsu down to a science. I've been enlightened to how much trash katsu I've had elsewhere in my life... For a busy Friday evening, our group of 4 only waited around 40 mins for a table, even though the host's estimated time was 75 mins :D We passed the time easily by going to The Lab at Ada's (3 min walk!) and playing a board game until we received a text that our table was ready. Once seated, our orders came out within 10 mins. Staff are gracious & very, very attentive. JIDORI CHICKEN TOMATO & CHEESE: The most tender, thicc juicy cuts of chicken you can imagine :') I was most impressed by their breading-- crispy and light, while clinging onto the meat. So flavorful. I've become to accustomed to dry, bland, flat-ass katsu that I was under the impression I didn't like it at all. Well... Now I've been proven wrong ._. Anyways, the tomato sauce is fire and the cheese is generously heaped onto everything. Their rice is cooked perfectly. Comes with side salad, sesame dressing on the table. The portions are HUGE. This is more than enough for 2 meals. They need to bring this to the SF bay area. I'm so pleased that this was worth the hype! read more

Kobuta And Ookami - Jidori Chicken Tomato and Cheese - Japanese Near Me - Seattle, Washington

There are so many good katsu restaurants out there now, it's hard to be competitive. For me, I wouldn't go out of my way to eat here (the wait was killer btw). I love omurice so I ordered the katsu that comes with egg. At first I thought it was super good, but as I continued eating it was way too salty and heavy for my liking. I ended up having a lot leftover but I didn't bother packing it up. I will say, I tried my friend's tonkatsu with the tomato sauce and it was tasty. Never had that combination before. If someone else wanted to eat here I would give it another try. read more

Kobuta And Ookami - Katsu with egg - Japanese Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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One of the best katsu's we've ever had! It was a weekday lunch but there were still a lot of people inside when we got there. We got there about an hour before lunch closing but there was no wait and the service was still very good. Cute and intimate interior. Everything we ordered was so delicious. Highly recommend! read more

Kobuta And Ookami - Oroshi Katsu - Japanese Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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5/5 Service 4/5 Interior, small but clean establishment, beautifully decorated with comfortable seating 4.5/5 Food Would and WILL come back If youre looking for a good katsu in Seattle fix, this is the place for you. Great ambiance, LARGE menu selection and even better food. If youre wanting many different variations of katsu, this place is a must. I had the Jidori Chicken Oroshi Katsu, a beautifully portioned chicken cutlet and a generous amount of horse radish paired with ponzu sauce on the side. When the ponzu is poured on the radish it makes for a perfectly balanced flavor. 5/5 My sister got the tomato and cheese Jidori Chicken, another cutlet paired with a tomato miso sauce and topped with parmesan. The sauce itself was pretty strong in the tomato department, but still good nonetheless! I personally would not get again but was good! Shredded cabbage on the side. 3.8/5 Lastly, the ol' original katsu curry. Solid dish! We opted for the pork tenderloin cut. The curry was rich and no complaints. Although it was not a stand out for me personally. 4/5 All in all a 5/5 experience l read more

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Definitely a must try if you enjoy katsu!! We got a curry set with the hire katsu and got a tomato and cheese set with kurobuto katsu. The curry katsu was super rich and made with dark chocolate which gives depth in flavor. The hire katsu was lean meat but was not dry and came with two whole pieces. The tomato and cheese sauce was the perfect acidity and balanced with creaminess of the grated Parmesan. The sauce would go so well on pasta. The kurobuto katsu was worth the splurge, the fat content made the meat juicy and melt in your mouth. Both sets came with shredded cabbage, homemade pickles, and miso soup. It made for a filling and well rounded meal. The servers were super sweet and knowledgeable. The menu itself has lots of information and options, I liked that the meats had descriptions to help you make a decision. The space is quite small with a few bar seats so I'd recommend coming during an off time or come ready to wait since they don't take reservations for parties smaller than 6! read more

Kobuta And Ookami - Japanese Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Visited on a Wednesday afternoon (party of 2) at 7:30pm - wrote our name + number on the clipboard inside, and was seated by 8pm at the bar. It can get cramped near the entrance, so we waited outside and a staff member came outside to call our name. Waitstaff was prompt with getting us water and taking our order. I ordered the Iberco katsu curry, and my friend got the don katsu. Received our meals in under 10 min, as we chatted and watched the busy open kitchen from the bar. I was slightly disappointed by the Iberco, listed as their best cut of pork (or at least most expensive). It wasn't particularly juicy, although still tender. On the plus side, the panko coating was very crisp, and the katsu itself didn't feel overwhelmingly oily. The curry wasn't very flavorful, but there was an adequate amount, along with rice and pickled veg. Overall, popular spot with manageable weekday dinner wait times. IMO this spot is not a fair comparison to katsu from Japan as I read in some reviews, or even spots in Honolulu. Perhaps my expectations were simply over-elevated after reading other reviews comparing the likeness to katsu in Japan. But, if you're REALLY wanting katsu in Seattle this will pacify that craving. However, not sure I'd personally be back. read more

Kobuta And Ookami - Iberico katsu curry - Japanese Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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I came here on a Sunday during lunch time and managed to get seated right away- the key is to come alone. I got seated at the countertop, and was literally rubbing elbows with the people sitting next to me. Overall I had a positive experience, but I probably needed someone to explain a little more on how to order and eat. The description on the menu wasn't enough for me to understand the differences between the different katsu options (e.g., different cuts of meat and cooking styles), and I only knew what to do with the bowl of sesame seeds because I was sitting right next to other diners. The katsu was perfectly fried- crispy exterior and tender meat, the piles of cabbage was nice, and the rice and soup was good enough. It was a very filling lunch for myself, but I'm not sure i'd be willing to share anyway. It's a small space, and things felt a little chaotic with the sheer density of customers, but the staff were friendly and efficient, and I would go back! read more

Kobuta And Ookami - The words miso and rose come to mind, but can't recall the exact name of the dish. - Japanese Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Long wait on a Sunday night... at 7 PM. We were getting worried because many tables that arrived after us were getting seated! We waited about an hour in the end. The Tomato & Cheese Kurobuta Katsu was THE STAR of the night! So flavorful, tender pork, and it was balanced perfectly. The quality of the kurobuta definitely stood out to me. Worth the extra dollars. They give lots of cabbage to add some fresh flavor to the mix! Very appreciated. PRO TIP: Add some sesame sauce on any leftover cabbage you have. The best way to end a meal after eating some deep-fried foods! I ordered the Rosu Katsu Nabe since it seemed to be the most popular dish. Everyone inside had a bubbling stone pot in front of them! It was just okay in my opinion... The broth was overly salty for me. The egg and napa inside also got tiring to eat as it soaked up the broth. The Tomato + Cheese was definitely better. read more

Kobuta And Ookami - Tomato & Cheese Kurobuta Katsu - Japanese Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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This place is so good I've eaten here 3x in 2 Seattle trips. My favorite is the miso katsu with the Kurobuta cut - the meat is juicy, the katsu is light and crisp, and the flavors are savory and complex without being overwhelming and too rich. This is going to probably be a $30 meal, but it'll definitely fill you up between the katsu, salad, rice, and miso soup. The place has decent seating for smaller groups, but if you have a large group it might take a while as this place is poppin'. A weekday later lunch seemed to work best if you don't want to wait, but even on the weekends the lunch wait might take a bit, so either come early or come at the tail end. Paid street parking in the area (except free on Sundays). There's also other good spots in the area like a good bakery on the corner and a delicious hummus restaurant if you're feeling snacky or can't wait to eat. read more

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Kobuta & Ookami Katsu and Sake house has 2 locations. One in Redmond and one in Capitol Hill. The moment I stepped into the restaurant I know it's going to be an authentic Japanese food and is full of Japanese decorations. From the lady who politely greeted us and the large selection of different pork cut and quality, it was a truly an experience that brought me back to Japan. The Kurobuta Katsu is a MUST-TRY! The katsu sauce and salad dressing are so unique where it elevated the whole food experience. I never thought katsu goes well with a dashi broth but it was unexpectedly good as it absorbs all the umami from the soup and makes the katsu soft to eat. Perfect for a winter dinner! Kurobuta Katsu $26 Iberico Katsu Nabe $31 Rosu Tomato & Cheese $21 read more

Kobuta And Ookami - Katsu with Cheese and Tomato. YUM! - Japanese Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Beautiful presentation. I never get tired of grinding my own sesame seeds with the mortar it might be labor but it's fun and I'm here for it. The katsu was hot and came in thick chunks filled with cheese. It was ooey gooey and delicious. Inside was quaint with a traditional Japanese feel to it. Parking wasn't too bad as we managed to get a spot right outside. Pretty packed but and a little tight but didn't bother me much. Food: 8.4/10 Service: 7/10 Ambience: 7/10 read more

Kobuta And Ookami - Japanese Near Me - Seattle, Washington

I absolutely loved the ambiance of Kobuta and Ookami, it's a lovely Japanese restaurant popular for its tonkatsu (deep fried pork cutlet). The shop was small and has limited seating, so the wait time was long (you can only make a reservation for parties of 6+). There was a piece of paper for people to write down their names, and you would receive a text when your table was ready. We waited approximately an hour before being seated, and this was half an hour after opening for dinner (5:30pm). The wait was SO worth it though! The waiters and waitresses were very attentive to our needs and constantly came around to refill our glasses. The food also came out fairly quickly, and the presentation of the dishes were so delicate. I enjoyed how our orders came out as meal sets - we had a side of rice and miso soup. We were also given a small mortar to grind sesame seeds and each table had its own bottle of sesame-style dressing and tonkatsu sauce. I loved how finely chopped the lettuce was, it added a nice element of freshness to our plates. I ordered the mozzarella katsu, and the cheese pull was insane! The tonkatsu was super crispy and the meat was fatty and tender. I would highly recommend giving this dish a try. Overall, I enjoyed my experience here and would love to come again! read more

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Been here three times. First two times were in 2021 - October and December. Third time was March 3, 2023 - my fiance and I arrived around 515pm, and the waiting list was already over 1 hour long. We were finally seated at 625pm. No reservations for parties less than 6 - and walk in only (first come first served). This can lead to waits above 90 minutes, so be prepared to wait (or have a backup in mind - there's not much around here). Downsides are definitely the parking situation, really long waitlist, and the single bathroom stall for the entire restaurant. Upsides are the food (especially the katsu), the efficient use of a small amount of space (they do the best they can, don't hate), and the service (generally speaking they're courteous and fast). Kurobuta pork is worth ordering at least once, but the portion sizes are large enough that you're going to be full -- and if not, there's all-you-can-eat cabbage refills. :) read more

Redmond location is probably better as the Seattle location doesn't have appetizers, and their seating policy and payment splits are pretty strict. Food was great, service efficient , and location is nice. They won't let you split the check as they only take one card per table... which is pretty lame in my opinion. read more

Kobuta And Ookami - Cheese and tomato katsu - Japanese Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Literally one of the best katsus I've had! A 10 minute walk from the Capitol Hill Station, Kobuta and Ookami is definitely worth the uphill walk and wait if you do go there at a busy time. I tried Kobuta and Ookami with my friend and we had no wait to be seated. The interior of the restaurant reminds me of Japan interior, it's very quaint but decorated really nice. This creates an enjoyable experience for anyone looking to munch on their speciality, which is their katsus. I got the Hire Katsu Curry + set and my friend got The regular Hire Katsu. The Hire Katsu Curry was actually so amazing. The breading was crispy and the pork was juicy. It was really the perfect katsu! In the set, they also provided pickled vegetables, miso soup, and shredded cabbage. For a price of $20-$27 I would say it's well worth it! The curry was also delectable and of course the portions were big! I was able to eat half of the Katsu before I was stuffed along with my friend. We did have to wait about 30ish minutes before getting our meal so we got complimentary tempura shrimp! I was surprised when they offered this to us but I was very glad because I was starving! The breading was the same as the katsu and delivered the same crisp. I really enjoyed it. Kobuta and Ookami is actually one of the best katsu places I've been to and you're missing out if you don't try them out! read more

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I would love to give this restaurant a 5 star because their food is absolutely amazing, but the service left me feeling disappointed. When it came time to order, my partner and I decided to just get one main dish since we weren't super hungry and didn't want to waste food. But when I mentioned this, the server literally rolled their eyes. We knew the portions were huge, and we didn't want to end up with leftovers. Meanwhile, our friends ordered plenty of dishes so i don't seem to really understand.. Seating is limited, so there always seems to be a long line waiting. We ordered the Iberico Katsu Nabe: Now, the food itself was top-notch! The pork was high-quality, veggies were fresh, and everything was cooked to perfection. Pork was deep-fried and soaked in flavorful broth with mushrooms, kelp, and steamed egg at the bottom-- what a balanced meal! Plus, it came with a generous serving of shredded cabbage and rice. Overall, the food easily gets a 10 out of 10, no doubt! read more

Kobuta And Ookami - Iberico Katsu Nabe - Japanese Near Me - Seattle, Washington

TLDR: service & food was supa fast! Nabe was good, mozzarella nothing to write home about. Pricey meal for what you get. Service was quick. There were 2 parties ahead of us in the waitlist, and in the time it took me to use the bathroom, we were already seated. Food also came out quickly - a blessing for hungry people! Maybe 10min from the time we ordered till the food came out. Food- the mozzarella katsu needed the gravy. Although it looks cool, it wasn't that special (in my humble opinion). It was a little hard to eat as well since the chunks are pretty big. In all honesty I prefer the Korean mozzarella corn dogs which have nice toppings and easier to eat - and only $6 instead of $27 for the mozzarella katsu + gravy. Apparently there was a thin slice of pork in there, but I would have never noticed. The kurobuta port katsu was pretty good. I enjoyed the pork and the soup. There were plenty of veggies, and the soup was light and flavorful. Worth $30? I'm not quite sure. $78 for 2 people after tax & tip - pretty pricey tbh. read more

Kobuta And Ookami - Mozzarella katsu ($21) + side of gravy ($6) - Japanese Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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This place is known for all things katsu! I got the Hire Katsu Nabe and let me tell you, the presentation was beautiful! You get a lot of food and as someone who almost always finishes my food, I had to pack a portion to take home. I came here on Saturday at 2pm for lunch and there was a slight wait. They do put you on a waitlist. They do not take reservations unless it's for 6 parties or more. The restaurant is also well sized and clean. Overall amazing experience and if you like Katsu, definitely worth a visit! read more

Kobuta And Ookami - Hire Katsu Nabe - Japanese Near Me - Seattle, Washington