Gwanghwamun gyukatsu lunch with parents, mini-brazier steki: Ichigyu

A Gwanghwamun lunch spot: Ichigyu Gwanghwamun Branch

Looking for somewhere to eat lunch near Gwanghwamun, I ended up at Ichigyu Gwanghwamun Branch, a gyukatsu place full of Japanese vibes. I'd heard they make their gyukatsu using techniques learned directly in Japan, so I was curious and went to check it out. Here's how the taste and the atmosphere held up.

Ichigyu Gwanghwamun Branch location — 5-minute walk from Gwanghwamun Station Exit 4

Ichigyu Gwanghwamun Branch is within a 5-minute walk of Gwanghwamun Station Exit 4. The shop is on the basement floor of the building, and the Japanese signage catches your eye right from the entrance, haha.

There was an explanation about gyukatsu at the entrance too — beef coated in breadcrumbs and fried, made using techniques learned directly in Japan. It's close to both Gwanghwamun and Jonggak Station, so it's a good option if you're hunting for restaurants near Jonggak Station too.

What's the atmosphere like inside?

The interior of Ichigyu Gwanghwamun Branch had Japanese-style posters scattered here and there, and overall it was clean and fairly spacious. It's a comfortable spot to eat, so it felt like it would work well not just for a Gwanghwamun lunch but for a Japanese-food date too.

What we ordered with mom and dad

We visited with mom and dad that day, and each of us picked whatever we felt like eating. We ended up ordering two Ichigyu steki sets, one Ichigyu gyukatsu set, and a karaage & fried shrimp side.

Rice comes in one generous pot

The rice came in one pot, generously filled, so we each scooped out as much as we wanted. The moment they lifted the lid, the smell of freshly cooked rice hit us and it was steaming hot, haha.

Grilling it yourself over a mini brazier

There was a mini brazier set up at the table, and staff came by to light it for us so we could grill the steki and gyukatsu bit by bit to our liking. Being able to grill things fresh as we went meant everything stayed warm right to the end, which was great.

Ichigyu steki set

First up was the Ichigyu steki set! It came with cabbage salad, pickled cabbage, and miso soup alongside the steki. Chili sauce, salt, and tonkatsu sauce were all provided so you could eat it however you liked.

The moment the steki arrived, the meat's color was vivid and it had real thickness — it looked like good-quality meat right away.

We melted the provided butter over the brazier first. You grill it right alongside the steki, so the meat soaks up butter aroma and gets an extra savory depth, haha.

The meat wasn't tough at all — it was tender, and the more you chewed, the more the juices came through. Adding a little wasabi cut through the richness of the butter while keeping it clean-tasting. A piece of steki on top of warm rice is a perfect combo too, haha.

The signature Ichigyu gyukatsu set

Next was the Ichigyu gyukatsu set I ordered! It's Ichigyu's signature dish, so I was the most curious about this one — the outside was fried crispy while you could see the moist beef inside, and it looked delicious the moment it arrived.

The gyukatsu also gets melted in butter over the mini brazier and grilled to whatever degree you like. As the butter sizzles and melts, the outside of the gyukatsu gets toasted to a nutty finish, and the smell at this point is honestly amazing, haha. Taking a bite, the breading outside was crispy while the beef inside was moist and tender — exactly crispy-outside, juicy-inside!

The beef itself was on the lighter side, so it wasn't greasy, and the texture — crispy outside, moist and tender inside — was really satisfying.

Dipping it into the tonkatsu sauce added a sweet-and-savory note that paired really well with the gyukatsu.

Side dish: karaage & fried shrimp

Next up was the karaage & fried shrimp side we ordered together. You really should order this one, haha!! Chunky karaage and fried shrimp came out together on one plate.

The karaage was freshly fried, crispy on the outside with moist meat inside, so it wasn't dry at all and was easy to enjoy.

The fried shrimp had plump shrimp inside too, so the crispy batter paired nicely with the springy shrimp texture. Dipping it into the accompanying sauce, the nutty fried flavor was really delicious, haha.

Final verdict — a good pick for Gwanghwamun lunch or a Japanese-food date

Ichigyu Gwanghwamun Branch, with its Japanese-vibe atmosphere and crispy-yet-moist gyukatsu, was a satisfying find. The gyukatsu grilled in butter especially had that crispy-outside, juicy-inside quality that made it delicious, and it's a solid choice when you're craving Japanese food for a Gwanghwamun lunch or a date :)