Tabelog ratingPoku Poku (ぽくぽく) is a small, four-table restaurant in Nara that has earned a devoted following for its unique take on tonkatsu. The specialty here is a crisp, flaky cutlet of premium Yamato pork, so tender it’s recommended you eat it with salt instead of the usual thick sauce. Each set meal is a composition, arriving with a ritual starter of akamoku seaweed, a vegetable-packed soup, and a strikingly large pile of chef-selected seasonal vegetables that shares the plate with the pork.
Guests consistently praise the melt-in-the-mouth texture of the pork and its light, airy coating. The generous, fresh salad is a frequent highlight, as is the ability to customize your meal by choosing the gram weight of the meat and the portion size of rice and salad. While the salt-style tonkatsu is the main draw, the tonteki (pork steak) and katsu curry are also popular choices. The experience is very personal, with the owner often explaining the details of the plating.
Diners should be aware that the restaurant is extremely small and operates on a reservation-only basis, often selling out well in advance. Several non-Japanese visitors have reported difficulty booking by phone due to the language barrier. The typical spend for a meal is between ¥2,000 and ¥3,000. Reviewers in 2024 noted paying around ¥2,300 for a 120g salt-style tonkatsu set, with 150g portions costing ¥2,500–¥2,800. Most agree the price is justified by the high quality of the ingredients and the generous portions.
- Booking: Reservations are mandatory and can only be made by phone, in Japanese. It is essential to plan weeks ahead and call during non-business hours (10:00–11:00, 15:00–17:00, or 20:00–21:30). The restaurant does not accept bookings via representatives.
- Getting There: Poku Poku is a 10-minute walk from Kintetsu Nara Station.
- Payment: Credit cards (Visa, Master, JCB, Amex, Diners), electronic money (transportation IC cards like Suica), and QR code payments (PayPay) are accepted.
- Seating: The restaurant has only 12 seats. Parties are limited to a maximum of four people, and seating time is restricted to about one hour.
- Children: Children are welcome if they can wait quietly. During very busy periods like Golden Week, entry for preschool children may be restricted.
- Language: There is no foreign language support.
- Parking: No dedicated parking is available, but there are paid lots nearby.
