Friendly, family owned! Best Tonkatsu your going to find! Loved it! Everyone is so nice!

Pretty good quality but portions are pretty small and not cheap. The pork is also probably too undercooked for most Western tastes.

Initially, 焼肉上野太昌園 本店 and 叙々苑 上野広小路店, places I often visit, were both full. As I considered how long it would take to cross Kasuga-dori and Chuo-dori and return to a restaurant I knew, I remembered that despite living nearby for several years, I'd never been to ぽん多. So I suddenly changed course and visited 蘭亭 ぽん多. To give my personal conclusion first, it was delicious beyond my expectations. After living for over 40 years, I was shocked to discover how well ketchup works as a condiment for fried shrimp and tonkatsu. I was also amazed at how beautifully the rice, miso soup, and main dishes complemented each other. I finished in no time and left full of happiness. I forgot to mention: this is Yushima, Bunkyo Ward. There is no place called Ueno-Yushima; please recognize that Ueno is in Taito Ward. You can also experience good old-fashioned shitamachi service, which brings a sense of nostalgia. Personally, after experiencing the greasiness of inadequately drained frying oil at “とんかつ檍,” I'd avoided yoshoku restaurants centered on fried food. But judging from today's meal, things seem completely different from the ratings of several years ago. Personally, I found it far tastier than today's famous tonkatsu restaurants. There are a few things to note. First, the careful cooking means it takes time for food to arrive. There is no “oil-draining rack” on the plate, so they seem to drain the oil in the kitchen while allowing residual heat to cook the ingredients through. Patience is therefore required. Next, don't expect large portions—just comfortably short of full. Finally, ordering differs from ordinary restaurants. Main dishes (two thousand and several hundred yen～three thousand and several hundred yen), rice (several hundred yen), miso soup (several hundred yen), salad (one thousand and several hundred yen), and pickles (several hundred yen) are all ordered separately. So be prepared for a minimum spend in the five-thousand-yen range per person. That said, this is about normal for famous yoshoku restaurants, so if you can't pay that amount, I recommend not going. It's family-run, so foreign languages (English, Korean, Chinese, and others) aren't understood. For foreign tourists, I recommend not going unless your Japanese ability is N2 or higher. It seems even more Japanese people are unfamiliar with shitamachi service these days, and some find it unpleasant. If you can accept that culture, please do visit. Finally, some people seem to regret the price, but for this flavor, I think it's inexpensive. As I understand it, 厳選洋食さくらい is in a similar price range. (※厳選洋食さくらい plans to raise prices in October 2026) Personally, the taste made me want to go again tomorrow.

+1

Visited again after 32 years. The same enduring quality. First-time diners may be put off by the pink pork, but if you don't mind that, please try it. 【Things to note】 ●This isn't crisp, crunchy tonkatsu. ●Frying takes time. (About 30 minutes) A thoroughly Showa-era establishment. Those who dislike tobacco may want to refrain too. Foreigners don't come either.

+3

The restaurant has a lovely atmosphere, and absolutely everything is delicious. Even the vinegar in the vinegared dish tasted so good I drank it all. The tonkatsu was tender and bursting with meaty flavor—I was impressed. You can enjoy a bite with salt first, another with the special sauce, or add ketchup to the sauce to taste. It's light rather than heavy, so it pairs well with alcohol too. The owner looks a little intimidating at first, but the contrast with his friendly, kind personality wins you over. It was a great restaurant. The tonkatsu is so delicious you'll forget to photograph it.

+3