Curry House K2

Walking beneath the elevated tracks at Hankyu Umeda Station, you’ll discover a curry shop with an incredibly charming exterior. That’s Curry House K2, the curry shop I’m introducing today. Not only is it absolutely dripping with Showa retro charm, but every single curry listed on the menu is ridiculously cheap. Curious about what the curry here actually tastes like, I decided to step inside…

Established in 1990, but the shop looks much older… Curry House K2 is a place like this…

I visited Curry House K2 one weekend morning just after 11:00. The place was quite lively, nearly full even though it was the pre-lunch hour on a holiday. Seating consists of 9 counter seats and 3 tables for 4, totaling 21 seats. A woman who looks like a snack bar hostess handles all floor service alone, with the curry coming out from the kitchen in the back.

Even so, this place has an incredibly strong retro vibe. It seems to have opened in 1990, but the shop itself looks much older than that. Even the automatic door at the entrance is broken and now operates manually… While there are countless shops out there trying to create a Showa retro feel, the retro vibe here is the real deal.

The overwhelming power of the full topping loadout… How did Curry House K2’s signature Mega Curry actually hold up when I tried it?

So, let me introduce the Mega Curry (price: ¥1,250 including tax), the restaurant’s top-tier menu item, which I ordered at Curry House K2 that day. About 10 minutes after placing my order, the Mega Curry arrived before my eyes looking like this…

A large serving of curry rice topped with chicken cutlet, pork cutlet, fried shrimp, and croquette – the full topping version. Seeing this visual reminded me of the Tomahawk Curry I once had at Curry Dia in Senbayashi-Omiya. It’s hard to convey in the image above, but the sheer visual impact is incredible. In fact, the guy sitting next to me even gasped, “Whoa…”

But how does it actually taste? So, I took a big bite right away… Along with a solid tomato acidity, a bold chili-based spiciness hits my hard. It feels like a proper, spicy curry, distinct from the sweet-spicy Osaka specialty curries like Indian Curry. It’s rich and deep, with a solid heat, yet it’s a European-style curry that stirs an irresistible urge to keep shoveling it in. Especially at first, I found myself eating mindlessly, only to realize I was sweating profusely on my forehead and neck.

Inside this curry roux are large chunks of beef. While the quantity isn’t huge, the presence of this beef prevents it from feeling cheap at all. On top of that, the toppings are plentiful: freshly fried chicken cutlet, pork cutlet, two shrimp tempura, and two croquettes… With all this, even the most energy-hungry businessman should get a solid energy boost.

Like this, I finished Curry House K2‘s signature Mega Curry in about 10 minutes and left the shop. Considering the volume and quality of the curry, the price of 1,250 yen (tax included) is god-tier value for money, even for a location like Umeda. The only downside was seeing a staff member smoking in the back kitchen. Still, that’s all part of the full Showa-era atmosphere you can soak up here. It’s definitely the kind of place that will hook a lot of people.

Other Menu Items at Curry House K2 (Prices include tax)

• Beef Curry: 600 yen
• Chicken Cutlet Curry: 600 yen
• Shrimp Fry Curry: 600 yen
• Croquette Curry: 600 yen
• Spaghetti Curry: 600 yen

It also offers great value set menus… Access to Curry House K2 is just a 2-minute walk from the nearest station, Hankyu Railway’s Osaka Umeda Station.

At Curry House K2, they offer great value set menus. The Salad Set, which includes curry rice (or spaghetti curry) and a salad, is 650 yen including tax. The Drink Set, which includes curry rice (or spaghetti curry) and a soft drink, is 700 yen including tax. Both are incredibly cheap prices, almost unimaginable in this Reiwa era. Honestly, it’s so cheap you might worry if they’re doing okay. If you’re not averse to spicy food, definitely stop by when you’re in Umeda.

Now, here are the shop details…

It’s a 7-minute walk from JR Osaka Station.