Plain and salmon (no sauce) rice balls are my go to. I avoid dairy, wheat soy and eggs so my options at Mitsuwa are very limited. I am just sad they run out so quickly. The rice balls are amazing when fresh so I recommend eating them soon after buying. They now offer rice noodles for the soba dishes. They can be made gluten free by removing the meat and fried onions. It has curry powder, but cashier says that the curry powder is gluten and dairy free. I got number 45 the Curry Maze Soba. White flakey things are cheese. I really thought it was cabbage when I started eating it. I was able to pick it out. They also offer chili oil which can be a good seasoning of you can't have soy sauce and don't mind a bit of spicy. read more

My first try at pork cutlet curry was at Coco Ichibanya in Tokyo. It was the most delicious thing I've had during my time in Japan and could not find anything that came close to it in the Chicagoland area until I found Tokyo Shokudo in the Mitsuwa Market. Unlike Coco, the only downside is that you can't customize the curry spice level but regardless, Tokyo Shokudo gives me my fix whenever I'm craving pork cutlet curry. The pork cutlet is fried to perfection and the pork meat is lean and tender. If you're not a pork fan, they also have chicken, shrimp and oysters as alternatives. I've also had their Salmon Onigiri and Gyoza. Those are pretty decent too. Don't forget to pick up side condiments to the left of the register. I usually get the chili oil and seasoning to top off my curry dish. The best time to go is during a weekday. Preferably after 1pm. Going on a weekend is guaranteed to make you miserable. There are lines everywhere and there's a high chance you won't find anywhere to sit in the food court. Trust me. The atmosphere on a weekday vs weekend is like night and day. read more

Tokyo Shokudo - Give me all the Onigiri and Spam please! - Japanese Near Me - Arlington Heights, Illinois

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Love this place. Service is quick and easy. Mitsua sitting areas are easy but only if there isn't a lot of people. I went around 6pm on a Sunday easy seating. Got the chicken cutlet plate.i usually get something completely different, eel bowl & I usually get onirgi but there wasnt any. But that's ok! Still love the place easiness to this place! Great lunch spot read more

Tokyo Shokudo - Japanese Near Me - Arlington Heights, Illinois

Very homey, decent comfort Japanese food for sale here. My beef curry dish was very tasty and came out piping hot. The beef was soft and flavorful, and the omelette egg was the perfect addition to balance out the meal; I didn't care too much for the hardboiled egg, it was a tad overcooked. Ordering is very easy; you order at the stall and receive a number, which will be called when your order is ready for pick up. All the utensils and accompaniments are readily available on the counter at pick up, otherwise you can ask for (to go boxes etc) from the staff. The jumbo prawn tempura was very crispy and delicious and came with a lemon wedge and yummy tartar sauce. There are plenty of places to sit, although some of the tables were wobbly so be sure to check the tables before sitting down/placing your food on the tables. read more

Tokyo Shokudo - Jumbo Deep Fried Shrimp - Japanese Near Me - Arlington Heights, Illinois

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The portions are very big. The service is also very quick. The pork katsu was very crispy and juicy. However, I didn't enjoy the flavor of the curry it tasted like it was made with a lot of spices. I also added an omelet (for 2 dollar) but it looked kind of depressing. I expected it to be fluffy. read more

Tokyo Shokudo - Katsu curry - Japanese Near Me - Arlington Heights, Illinois

Our last stop before making the drive back home to St. Louis was Mitsuwa Marketplace, and honestly, it felt like the perfect way to wrap up our quick Chicago getaway. We arrived right around lunchtime, and to our pleasant surprise, the food court wasn't nearly as packed as it had been during our previous visit. That alone already set the tone for a relaxed, enjoyable meal. Mitsuwa has this unmistakable charm the moment you walk in. It's more than just a food court, it's a little pocket of Japan tucked inside the city. The layout, the décor, the storefronts, the aromas drifting from every direction... everything works together to give you that authentic Japanese marketplace vibe. You can wander around and see different restaurants offering ramen, curry, donburi, tempura, pastries, and more. It's the kind of place where you could easily spend an hour just deciding what to eat. Today, though, we already knew where we were headed: Tokyo Shokudo. It's become one of our favorites inside Mitsuwa, and after walking around the streets of Chicago all morning, we were more than ready for a comforting, satisfying meal. We each picked something different from the menu. My wife went with #1, my younger one chose #23, and my older kid ordered #32. I decided on #38, which comes with that beautifully fluffy omelette draped over rice, simple, comforting, and exactly what I was craving. Since everything at Tokyo Shokudo is prepared fresh after you order, there's this anticipation that builds as you wait, knowing your food is being cooked right then and there. And when the dishes came out, steaming and vibrant, it was clear the wait was worth it. Every plate hit the spot. You could taste the freshness in each bite, and after a morning of walking, the portions were just right to refuel us for the trip home. The kids enjoyed their meals, my wife loved hers, and that fluffy omelette on mine was the highlight I didn't know I needed. It was one of those meals where everyone at the table is quietly happy, focused on their food, and occasionally nodding at each other because everything just tastes that good. Tokyo Shokudo delivered once again, and this visit only confirmed that we'll definitely be coming back the next time we're in Chicago. read more

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Always love the champion curry! Will always come back for this whenever i'm in the area! Late morning isnt too busy read more

Tokyo Shokudo - Champion Curry - Japanese Near Me - Arlington Heights, Illinois

The food was quite yummy, but I will say that the display foods look way more appealing than the dishes themselves. I like my katsu pretty golden and crispy, but this felt barely fried and really pale. The taste was still pretty good though, and I enjoyed the curry with the rice and egg. It's a little pricey for what you get but still worth a try. The service was alright. You order at a counter, and they called your number when it's ready. The ambiance is very lively since it's in a food court with other food stalls. Additionally, you're inside Mitsuwa Marketplace, so you can always go shopping before or after. read more

Tokyo Shokudo - Double Cutlet Curry - Japanese Near Me - Arlington Heights, Illinois

Wow, this was my favorite meal out of my whole trip! I wanted some home cooked style food and love Asian cuisine, so I decided to try Tokyo Shokudo. Everything about my plate was perfect, to the main plate to the way the rice was cooked. My friend really enjoyed her plate too and the price for all of the food was not expensive at all. Can't stress this enough, try out this place when visiting Mitsuwa Markplace! read more

Tokyo Shokudo - Onigiri, next to cashier - Japanese Near Me - Arlington Heights, Illinois

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If you have never been to the food stalls at Mitsuwa, be prepared to come hungry. There are a number of options to choose from buy Tokyo Shokudo has great variety. We ordered a katsu curry plate and a onigiri combo w dumplings. It took a bit of time to get our order, but I believe the katsu was cooked to order. The food is very filling and delicious. The curry was a bit on the spicier side. They were not stingy with the fillings for the spicy tuna and Karachi onigiris. We were definitely stuffed but had enough to fuel us through a 3 hour shopping trip thereafter. read more

Tokyo Shokudo - Japanese Near Me - Arlington Heights, Illinois

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I got the chicken katsu curry with add-on omu rice. Pretty good for food court Japanese food - the omu is a little on the sweet side but good texture. The curry was pretty tasty. Food is a little pricey for the size, but food courts generally charge more so I wasn't surprised. Good option if you're at mitsuwa to shop around. read more

Tokyo Shokudo - Chicken katsu curry with omu rice - Japanese Near Me - Arlington Heights, Illinois

A good, no-frills Japanese food stand in the Mitsuwa Marketplace food court that serves tasty and a good variety of Japanese cuisine dishes. I went here for lunch and ordered a Jumbo Shrimp Tempura Curry dish. The shop was busy but the orders were being served quickly. My order was ready shortly. The Shrimp Tempura were cooked properly and were flavorful. The tempura batter was not heavily coated and fried just right. The flavor of the curry was really good. It tasted delicious. I enjoyed my meal and had a good experience. Check them out. read more

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Greetings, Mitsuwa Marketplace is one of the area's great, and unique, stops is in the northwest suburbs. There's only one in Illinois and it's in Arlington Heights. Within Mitsuwa is a great food court, and that is where you'll find another great find: Tokyo Shokudo. My favorite is the pork cutlet bowl. It's a winner each time...with flavors that bring me back time and time again. Other favorites include teriyaki salmon and chicken, and the tempura options for starters. A bowl of miso rounds out the meal. Counter service is great, and judging by the frequent lines to order, I am not alone in thinking this place is a winner. The food court is a people watcher's dream. Bustling with people of all types and it seems to be a poplar spot for people who appreciate Japanese food. My one concern is that the food court could use a better staffing to keep tables clear and waste areas tidy. The great offerings by Tokyo Shokudo are somewhat diminished by the lack of attention at times to the food court. I'm a regular at Tokyo Shokudo and I'm already looking forward to my next visit. Until next time...tk read more

Tokyo Shokudo - 20. Pork Cutlet Bowl is my favorite each time! - Japanese Near Me - Arlington Heights, Illinois

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This review is solely based on the spicy tuna onigiri and it is THE BEST spicy tuna onigiri I have eaten. The rice was soft and supple which makes a significant difference. The spicy tuna had just the right flavor. The seaweed was the perfect texture where it's NOT gummy and hard to tear. Every component just came together so nicely. This is now my standard for spicy tuna onigiri. Priced just under $4. I tried the grilled salmon mayo onigiri and while everything else is the same, the flavor doesn't compare to the punch and tang a spicy tuna onigiri gives. read more

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Had a taste for curry so while at Mitsuwa decided to try out Tokyo Shokudo since the line wasn't too long for a Sunday at noon. I had the spicy curry chicken teriyaki and it was just OK, the teriyaki flavoring made the curry sauce taste a little bit strange. It was definitely spicy, stronger than I expected. My husband seemed to like it, so he ended up finishing the dish. The pork cutlet was better, but in my opinion a bit too pricy at $18 considering on the what was received. I would still consider eating here again, but would try a different dish that may be more to my preference. Possibly a better win would be to try one of their onigiri lunch deal. Still coming to eat at Mitsuwa is always fun because there are so many different options to try so you'll want to keep coming back to the area. read more

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I tried Tokyo Shokudo for the first time in the Mitsuwa Market last week - it was just okay. My girlfriend did not like the chicken cutlet bowl she said the meat just was weird. I had the spicy beef bowl - it was okay but the beef was just warm not hot which makes me think it wasn't really that fresh. They give you a ton of rice in the bowls here. Maybe I will try something else from here next time, also don't go at noon on a Saturday it's way too crowded you will be waiting a very long time and will have to wait longer to get a table to eat at. read more

Tokyo Shokudo - Chicken Cutlet Bowl - Japanese Near Me - Arlington Heights, Illinois

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Since it was prepackaged, I had their teriyaki spam onigiri for a snack. It features rice, spam, egg omelette wrapped in seaweed and covered with teriyaki sauce. It has a great sweet and savory flavor, but I think it would be better if the spam had been cooked so that it had a nice crispy texture. I wish it was warm instead of chill. Their chicken katsu egg with curry was my main course. The chicken was cooked in conjunction with an egg, which made it lose its crispy texture even though the chicken was tender and well breaded. The curry tastes amazing and has a texture that I enjoy, but it seems bland compared to other curry I've had that included carrots, potatoes, onions, and pulled meat. read more

Tokyo Shokudo - Chicken katsu egg curry - Japanese Near Me - Arlington Heights, Illinois

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I guess I have to set some facts straight since there are some questionable reviews on here. The employees don't ignore customers, once you figure out what you want to order you just tell the cashier. Food doesn't take that long, remember they're not making you chicken nuggets and French fries. Food is pretty decent. Pricing is moderate since there is inflation and places are short staffed. Oysters were good, juicy on the inside. I ordered cha siu maze soba Tokyo style. Noodles with the sauce were a little salty but definitely not unbearable. The cha siu was not chewy. Jumbo shrimp curry was good. Curry sauce has a nice robust taste especially combined with the rice. Shrimp was tasty. read more

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$15.00 for my meal and they can't even give me a glass of tap water, they sent me to another restaurant stall to get water and they weren't giving it out. They used the Covid excuse for not supplying water, it's 2024 I don't think I'm getting Covid from a glass of water, they just want to make more money by selling me a bottle of water. That and the fact they gave me about 1/4 bowl of miso soup means I will never return. Just how cheap can you be? This cheap ass place sucks!!! read more

Tokyo Shokudo - Japanese Near Me - Arlington Heights, Illinois

My friend and I were sampling various different vendors at the Mitsuwa food court this past Tuesday evening and Tokyo Shokudo was one of them. PORK EGG CURRY - 15.49 The portions are big, but for what it is, it's pretty expensive. There was some rice, some cabbage slaw, and pickled radish. Then of course, there is the pork cutlet mixed with egg and curry. Overall, flavors were pretty good but it was way too salty. I felt like the amount of salt in the curry and pork overshadowed any other seasoning in it. Both my friend and me found it a bit unappetizing after awhile. The pork was probably my favorite part as it was mixed well with the egg. read more

Tokyo Shokudo - Pork Egg Curry - Japanese Near Me - Arlington Heights, Illinois

Curry-rice and fried oysters are the best choices here, Japanese taste food, not quite Japanese style presentation and service. I've had better but in Hawai'i or San Francisco. A little pricey, but that's the Western Suburbs normal. Good onigiri, it's already wrapped up. You may or may not get my comparison but it's not as good as Hawai'ian 7-11. That still means it's pretty good onigiri and musubi, it's just not at the level of a high turnover Aloha state 7-11 - that's kind of a high standard. read more

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When we come to mitsuwa we always get food at Tokyo Shokudo. I've never been to the other food court stalls lol We usually order fried oyster plate, mazesoba, or the katsudon. The fried oysters are a must try! read more

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I've been here multiple times, and their maze soba always keeps me coming back! Great portions and decent service even though they're always super busy! Sometimes the kitchen stops early, so be sure to check signs by the register before you get in line if it's close to the end of the day. read more

The staff are always kind and attentive, which makes every visit pleasant. The menu has a wide variety of options, something Japanese customers will especially appreciate. I sometimes order the karaage, and while it's tasty, the crispiness can vary depending on the visit. I would love it if it were consistently crispy every time.^_^ read more

Everything is so flavorful here! My favorite place to stop by for a meal inside the foodcourt at mitsuwa marketplace. The chicken curry katsu was tender and crispy with the curry sauce being a perfect pair together. Love the addition of red pickled topping. The unagi egg bowl had so much sauce that every bite with rice was covered and I love when my rice gets like that. The fried oyster plate was super rich, crispy outside, and creamy on the inside. Enjoyed the pickled cucumbers and seaweed salad. The miso soup that came with two of the dishes was a bit on the blander side, but okay! The cabbage slaw is nice when eaten with their salad sauce given. Me and my friends tend to eat finish every bite and try each item. The soft boiled egg was standard. The tokyo style maze soba was sooo filling. The bowl of noodles was huge and super saucy. Loved the amount of toppings. Shrimp tempura was good! The only thing was that wish spicy tuna onigiri had the specific onirigi seaweed wrap instead of directly putting seaweed paper onto the rice and using plastic wrap as the seaweed is no longer crispy. read more

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Bathrooms are absolutely FILTHY. Also ,you'll notice as a 3D menu they have plastic representations of all their food which is very typical. Almost every restaurant in Japan actually does this as well. And they are numbered. So you just tell the cashier the number. (1star due to REPULSIVE bathroom alone.) read more

Tokyo Shokudo - a display of various types of food - Japanese Near Me - Arlington Heights, Illinois

Food was excellent! Recommend the curry. Great service, food was good and will come again for this place

It was just ok like the three star rating. Nothing really special to me. I got the food after shopping in the grocery store. I saw a long waiting line and thought this would be good. But the curry I ordered was not tasty at all. I had to force myself to finish just so I don't waste food. Would I come back again? No. The food court does have a lot of seating area but when it got super busy, you will need to wait and search to find a spot to sit. So avoid rush hours plz. read more

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Great Japanese curry; you can't go wrong. I feel like the ramen shop in Mitsuwa gets so much clout that a lot of other shops go a little unnoticed (just a little though, all the shops do well). This place has great menu items at a decent price though so why not give this place a shot. Service is okay but you just go up and order, so what do you really need? It's a food court in a supermarket, so honestly I feel like anything under 4 stars, people are just overreacting or being snobby. Sorry if I hurt someone's feelings, but that's just my opinion. If you're looking for award winning food and service, maybe expand to outside of a supermarket. read more

Very good! Well-worth a try. I have no doubt we will be back again. It is far better than most Japanese restaurants in food courts, and easily a solid four stars regardless where it was located. We were quite pleased with our meals. We have not tried their ramen dishes, so take that into consideration when evaluating the review. They use chicken thighs for the cutlets, so that might be different for diners who are used to white meat. I can easily see Tokyo Shokudo become a part of our trips to Mistuwa Grocery Store and Kinokuniya Bookstore. read more

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This dish was absolutely great. Great rice, great chicken, and the curry was absolutely tasty! The portion is very generous and and leaves you filling just right. I have seen some curry in the past be a bit....greasy? But this was none of that. Even the presentation of the plate shows care in what is being given to a hungry customer. The chicken was also perfectly tender while having a crispy outside. when biting into it, the chicken is eaten very evenly, that is, when biting into the chicken, the chicken and the breading both split very evenly. I would def give this place a try and I cant wait to try some of their other dishes! read more

Tokyo Shokudo - Japanese Near Me - Arlington Heights, Illinois

I always enjoy Tokyo Shokudo. It fills the tonkatsu hole ever since the vendor with the grandma along the right side, closed. I wish I remembered the name! The only thing I'm not a fan of is that their shrimp tempura looks suspiciously like the CostCo shrimp tempura I currently have in my freezer. read more

We got the double cutlet pork and chicken. The first thing we noticed was that there was barely any curry sauce! The meat was also kinda oily too. There's another restaurant in the food court that has WAY better curry cutlet. Definitely won't order from this place again. But it's not like you can't eat it so they at least deserve a 3 star. The radish side dish was good. The service was not bad. Food court was packed as heck and tables were a little dirty. read more

Tokyo Shokudo - Double meat chicken & pork cutlet curry - Japanese Near Me - Arlington Heights, Illinois

Very yummy food, very good service! Loved every bite and the friendly staff made it even better!

We've eaten here before but not recently. They have a good selection of Japanese favorites and they also take credit cards while many others in the food court are cash only. It took us a few minutes to study the displays of the various dishes they make from ala carte to combination meals. My wife decided on the Saba Plate Combo which came with some Japanese Pickles, Miso Soup, Fresh Bean Sprouts, a Jammy Soft-Cooked Egg, Dipping Sauce, Rice, and Daikon Oroshi (grated daikon radish). I decided to order the Chicken Katsu Lunch Combo that came with a Panko-Breaded and fried Chicken Cutlet served on Shredded Cabbage with Hot Mustard, Japanese Pickles, Miso Soup, a Jammy Soft-Cooked Egg, Tonkatsu Dipping Sauce, and Rice. Everything was very good and had the right taste and texture passing my wife's test for authenticity! Common throughout the food court are self-serve water, chopsticks, plasticware, and napkins. We liked the food and the experience so we will definitely be back! read more

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We had the Tonkatsu with curry. Curry was too salty. The Tonkatsu was too greasy. Yes, you deep fry the pork cutlets. But you should drain some oil by placing it on a rack after it cooks for a minute or two so I don't have to eat the dripping oil or the oil-coated rice served beside it. This was made worse for the cut of the meat they used - it was more marbled than usual. Paradoxically, had it been properly drained, I think the marbled meat would have added to the taste. The place wasn't quite as busy as the ramen house next door, which had a line wrapping around this place, but was still getting a steady line of orders. (We were sitting right in front of it while having our lunch) A plus for taking credit cards! And while the taste wasn't quite up to par, the display of the food wasn't exaggerated and our plate looked almost identical to the display version! read more

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I personally wasn't a fan of the dish I chose, I think there was an overpowering flavor that took over the whole dish for me and it was quite salty. However, the shrimp tempura was delicious even without a sauce! I think it would have been better with a sauce. I thought the other ingredients in the bowl would heat up the noodle dish but it didn't. Maybe something else on the menu would have been better! read more

Tokyo Shokudo - Japanese Near Me - Arlington Heights, Illinois

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I was in town with family and decided to try this place out. This restaurant is a part of the food court that shares a hybrid space with a grocery store, book store, and other retail stores including a toy claw games. From all the available selections, the jumbo shrimp sample stuck out to my kid. I decided to order one piece. The order was simple and easy. I was given the receipt with a number. We waited about 10-13 minutes for the order. When they finally called our number and I picked it up, I noticed it was the same to-go-bag on the counter for 1-2 minutes. Overall experience, my kid liked eating the jumbo shrimp. I wasn't impressed that they didn't call our number out as soon as it came out. I was less impressed with the size of the jumbo shrimp for the price paid. I would give them another try if I'm in town again and wanted something from their menu. read more

Tokyo Shokudo - Jumbo shrimp - Japanese Near Me - Arlington Heights, Illinois

BIG fan of Tokyo Shokudo. Originally, I was upset that this place overtook Jockey's, but after eating here so many times, I've become a big fan. My go-to order is the pork cutlet plate as it comes with a small side of seaweed salad, which is my favorite part! Sweet and savory with the crunchy texture. It's a must try! I also advise everyone to try out their freshly made onigiris! However, get to it quick because they always run out by 4pm-ish! They only make it once in the morning and always make a HUUGE batch of each one of then. I have tried from the tempura shrimp to spicy tuna to karaage onigiri. My favorite is definitely the karaage as it is always a filling snack to have even for the next day. Their curries and rice bowls are also really good! Very filling and great for its price. However, sometimes I feel like the rice bowls have too much rice leftover, but that depends on each person. Service is great as each employee I've interacted with has been very nice and quick with getting orders through. Never had an issue with them! read more

Tokyo Shokudo - Pork cutlet plate (bottom) and Champion curry (above) - Japanese Near Me - Arlington Heights, Illinois

The flavors are not bad on the whole, here at Tokyo Shokudo, but unfortunately, the portion sizes are way too small for the price. You can get a much bigger meal at any of the neighboring food stalls (e.g. Sutadonya, Ma Ma House) for either the same or lower prices, and the food tastes just as good, if not even better! This place is also really inconsistent at times and seem to mess up orders pretty often (e.g. charging an extra $1.50 for rice in the tonkatsu rice bowl, even though the dish is supposed to come with rice??...). Really wish I had better things to say, but it is what it is. Spend your money either at other food stalls in Mitsuwa's food court, or rather, just go buy some of the prepared sushi/bento boxes that Mitsuwa sells inside the store. read more

Tokyo Shokudo - Miso Pork Cutlet Bowl - Japanese Near Me - Arlington Heights, Illinois