Seeing one of our favorite pop-ups move into a brick-and-mortar location is like when a close friend realizes that they actually love tomatoes. It was just a matter of time. This sums up our feelings about Evil Katsu, a former pop-up that now has a permanent location in the East Village.

At the new spot, you’ll find the same crispy katsu sandos from the pop-up. They come on fluffy white bread with shredded red cabbage and carrots, all slathered in nori Kewpie mayo. And it’s the texture that keeps us coming back for more. Sink into the poofy milk bread and you’ll immediately taste how crispy the still-juicy chicken is. Mouthfuls of crunchy vegetables and creamy mayo make a perfect supporting cast for the sandwich too.

Evil Katsu

The new seasonal specials, like udon noodles slick with olive oil, chunks of heirloom tomatoes, and sliced shiso, will excite you just as much as the sandwiches. Not to mention they’ve repurposed their fried chicken into little mini katsu bites that go great with the spicy mayo dipping sauce. Fast food nuggets have nothing on these katsu bites.

Evil Katsu 2.0 is just one of the many silver linings born out of the pandemic. Especially since they kept what worked, added something new, and, most importantly, put chicken nuggets on the menu.

Food Rundown

Katsu Sandwiches

You can get this sandwich in portobello mushroom, chicken, or pork form, but please don’t pass on the chicken. The breading is crispy, the meat is juicy, and it pairs perfectly with the crunchy vegetables and mayo. The fluffy milk bread holds this beast of a sandwich together.

Kastu Bento Box

If you still want to try a large piece of katsu, you can get any of their options in a bento box. It comes with thick potato salad, crunchy slaw, pickled vegetables, and tonkatsu sauce. We prefer the sandwich but this is still a great option.

Carlo Mantuano

Katsu Bites

We’ll never go anywhere else for nuggets again. These little katsu bites are just as crispy as what you’ll get on the sandwich, and come with a tiny side of pickled vegetables and choice of sauce (get the spicy mayo).

Carlo Mantuano

Seasonal Specials

Evil Katsu has a rotating list of seasonal specials. At the time of writing, their notable option is the udon with heirloom tomatoes. The noodles are tossed with olive oil and black pepper, and come topped with giant chunks of tomatoes and thinly sliced shiso. It’s absolutely a dish to celebrate the best time of year: tomato season.