Tacoma’s first Katsu Burger has opened on Sixth Ave. Here’s a peek
Katsu Burger quietly opened the doors to its Tacoma location last Friday, serving a handful of customers who noticed before sharing more publicly on Instagram the next day.
After a Sunday respite, the restaurant, 2805 6th Ave., will operate steadily moving forward — open at 11 a.m. daily til about 9 p.m., plus an extra half-hour on Friday and Saturday nights. A grand opening with giveaways and other specials will likely happen later this month or early May, said manager Christopher Poetter.
He has worked with the Seattle-based chain since owners Stephanie Kang and Yousok Jung resurrected the brand, originally created by a sushi chef, in 2014. Known for tonkatsu-inspired sandwiches fused with Americana, Katsu Burger has grown from a single store in Capitol Hill to nine locations in Washington, including the newest, plus one in California.
Fans had long clamored for a Tacoma outpost, said Poetter and Kang on Monday at the Sixth Ave restaurant. They had been looking for the right location for several years, they added, and finally found it at the former Redd Dog taproom. (The Redd Dog will open a brewpub in the old Black Fleet Brewing space near downtown Tacoma this spring.)
The Katsu Burger team has splashed the brand’s signature orange and purple colors on the walls, rearranged the dining room with standard tables and chairs, and updated kitchen equipment to accommodate their needs. They sold the pizza oven to make way for their fryers and shake machines; they also grind meat for their beef, pork and chicken patties in-house. As Poetter put it, only the fries and the milkshakes are frozen.
Outside, a muralist will cover the current dog imagery with Godzilla eating a Katsu Burger.
For the first few weeks, the Tacoma menu will feature just the sandwiches (most $11.40-$13.50), fries with house sauces like curry or wasabi mayo, nori ranch and teriyaki, and shakes.
The Tokyo Classic “burger” hinges on a katsu-style beef patty, Japanese mayo, tonkatsu sauce plus shredded cabbage, tomatoes, pickles and red onions. The Godzilla Attack adds pepperjack cheese and spicy mayo, while the Samurai Select gets bacon, pineapples and wasabi mayo. Other proteins featured are the classic Katsu Curry (pork) with American cheese and curry mayo and the Teriyaki Chicken. They get crazier from there — up to the infamous Mt. Fuji, a tower of all three meats with egg, bacon, cheese and various sauces. Vegetarian options include an Impossible patty and tofu with moso honey.
For about $6, make any sandwich into a combo meal with fries and a drink.
Shakes ($5.50) are also a draw, ranging from chocolate and vanilla to green tea, kinako (roasted soybeans) and chai.
Poetter, who lives with his family in Puyallup and will lead the new Tacoma restaurant, anticipates adding bentos boxes — the panko-breaded and fried meats served over rice instead of between buns for $14.95-$16.95 — which are only available at select locations. They kept the backend of The Redd Dog’s draft system, although most of it won’t be used. Once approved by the state liquor board, the restaurant will serve a select number of beers, wines and sake.
Speaking at the restaurant Monday, as they prepared to click on the “open” sign, Poetter and Kang said they were excited to finally be in Tacoma and especially to be on Sixth Ave. Later hours, perhaps with a late-night walk-up window, are possible as they see how crowds flow. It’s also family friendly.
Katsu Burger Tacoma
- 2805 6th Ave., Tacoma, katsuburger.com
- Current hours: Monday-Thursday 11 a.m.- 9 p.m., Friday-Saturday 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m.
- Details: first Tacoma location of Katsu Burger now open; follow instagram.com/katsuburger for updates
- How to order: in-person for now, but online ordering for pickup and DoorDash, etc. delivery available soon
This story was originally published April 8, 2026 at 10:00 AM.