Tanaka Katsu Sandwiches

Quick Summary:- Delicious sandwiches- Close to the Powell Bookstore- Indoor and outdoor seats available- Favorite was the egg salad sandwich- Sandwich with stuffed fillings- After eating, bus your dishes to a tray area near the entranceWe went here during the summer trip, and here was one of the sandwich stores I was interested in trying out. Throughout the week long trip, we visited here twice because it was a good experience.On our first visit we tried two sandwiches: one savory and the other for dessert. For first, we got the egg salad sandwich and the seasonal fruit sandwich, which was strawberry. In the second visit, it was during dinnertime, so we ordered a heftier sandwich: the one with katsu inside. I believe we all ordered the one with pork. One of my relatives ordered the one that was marked as spicy, and it came with a curry dipping sauce.Out of three sandwiches, my favorite was the egg salad sandwich. Included in the layers, what I thought was lettuce was a different type of leaf. I don't know what it is, but it had a refreshing spicy mint flavor to it. It refreshened and had a subtle peppery taste to it that cut out the creaminess fatigue that I sometimes get from eating egg salads. The sandwiches are huge, but with the thin layer of that mysteriously delicious leaf, I ate the half sandwich without feeling bloated (I shared the other half with my relative). Since we were light on our stomachs we were able to eat the fruit sandwich dessert too.The fruit sandwich was delicious as well. I would praise the light sweetness of the cream stuffed between and securing the strawberry. The strawberries were sweet and also soft to eat (didn't crunch like the unripe ones). It was good, but I think the star of the lunch meal that day was the egg salad sandwich for me. (I can still think back to it to this day).Part 2, fast-forwarding to one of the dinner nights. We were nearby the restaurant, so we decided to eat here. We were all pretty hungry, so we ordered the heaviest filling we could think of (and something new from the one we had during lunch): the pork katsu sandwich. My relative picked the one that was spicier.The pork was juicy and thick and I cabbage ratio was just right. The one that was spicy came with a curry dipping sauce. That my relative became joyful because they love curry. Me, someone with low spice tolerance, thought this had a strong kick; the more I eat it the spicier it becomes rather than me getting used to its spiciness. My relative has a stronger spice tolerance, and they said it was perfect.

Come for the sandwiches. Stay for the donuts. The cream filled donuts are the bomb, especially the cream flavored with lemon. And the chocolate filed too. Reminds me of a milkshake. Yum. Yum. Yum. Usually our goto donut shop is Coco's. But I'd never turn down a donut from Tanaka. Coffee is good. Super friendly staff. Clean and neat place, with good energy. And they bring the food to your table. Nice!

Do not sleep on this sandwich spot. Went Sunday afternoon and there were plenty of seats. Staff was friendly and helpful. We ordered the spicy katsu chicken sando combo with the curry fries and the tanaka dip. Both sandwiches were really good, but the spicy chicken was a little too spicy for me. Had huge portions and had leftovers. Can't wait to come back and try other items. Everything looked so good!

Came here on a Sunday and it was pretty packed, but the food came out super quickly. Seating is like a cafeteria, with long tables, but lots of space for all. The food was excellent! I loved the spicy chicken katsu sandwich. It had so much flavor and the meat was juicy and tender. The fries were also very crispy. Street parking is limited but other than that, this place is amazing! Will definitely be back whenever I am in town!

WHEN: Fri @10:30amWhat a lovely restaurant! I can sit here all day. You order at the counter first, and when you sit down, they will bring your order out when it's ready.Here's what I had:CLASSIC KATSU SANDO - PORK - $13Pork Loin Katsu, Cabbage, Kewpie Mayo, Tanaka Katsu Sauce, Milk Bread.Since it's freshly made, it's pretty hot, and crispy. The bread is toasted, so it's hard to tell that it's milk bread. I would prefer soft in-toasted bread since you already have the crispy texture from the katsu. So I know the insides of my mouth will be very scraped up, haha. The sauce is good, with a bit of tangy. I wish there was more kewpie mayo because it tasted like there was none. Overall, decent sandwich.I rec sharing this sandwich since it's quite filling. The Pork Katsu is really thick.Oh and they have really nice merch. I considered buying their shirt ($25) and hoodie ($40).

Tanaka was the first place to pop up when I was looking for a Japanese sandwich. However the menu selection was much more than just sandwiches. There was everything from nuggets to salads. I got the spicy chicken katsu and while it was good, I would try something else if I visited again. The sandwich wasn't as spicy as I was expecting and it could use some more sauce.The prices were also higher than I would typically expect for this kind of meal.While the inside was very nice and the service was fast, I don't think this is a place I will come back to time and time again.

I was feeling unsure about Tanaka given the mixed reviews, but I was hopeful given some of the more positive reviews. Unfortunately, I was disappointed with both the chicken the pork sandwiches. The chicken sandwich did have one redeeming quality - notably, the chicken itself was very moist, but it ended there. The pork was so dry, and it didn't help that neither sandwich had enough sauce or spread to offset the dryness and lend more flavor. The star was the fries - they came out piping hot, crispy, and the accompanying curry aioli was a unique twist. It's a good thing I really like a good fry, because everything else was pretty meh.

An amazing sando spot in Portland! I've been here several times and have had a great experience each time. They recently changed their menu and (from what I've noticed) gotten rid of their fish sando as well as added some special sandos. I'm super sad that there are no longer any fish sandos (only fish burgers), but the special ones have found a new spot in my heart. Service is quick. I've tried all of the regular sandos, as well as the spicy version, and I would say that I prefer the regular ones more. The biggest reason is that even though I love spicy foods, the spicy in these sandwiches is based on a more wasabi/dijion mustard kind of spice (I can't quite explain it, but it's not what I'm expect when I want something spicy). Not bad, but just not my taste!! The new special sandos are phenomenal however. I love the twist on them and how they incorporated different ingridents not typical to Japanese sandos into them. I've tried the Tanaka Dip and the BLT and they were phenomenal, and new favorites. Drinks here are also overall great. I love the ube and sesame lattes, but I think the strawberry matcha is a miss (as a matcha fan, the drink mostly just tasted like strawberry milk). Nonetheless, a reliable spot for a quick, casual bite!

We enjoyed everything we ordered here - the egg sando, chicken & pork sandos, fries, and curry dipping sauce! I did prefer the chicken sandos a bit more for the juiciness. Milk bread and yuzu donut was tasty! Perfect lunch spot, ambiance is quiet and chill on weekdays. Street parking available.

Food was good! Ordered the spicy chicken katsu sando , katsu nuggets and fries. The sandwich was good the katsu was perfectly crunchy on the outside and tender inside, the curry pairs so well with the sandwich highly recommend this combo. Nuggets and fries were good just wish the nuggets had more seasoning on it tho!The interior is really nice with high ceiling they utilized their big open space really well. You bus your own table after you're done and they have a to go station for whatever left over you have to bring home so you don't have to come up and them. Would I come back next time? Definitely yes!