Sisters' pork cutlet lunch with combo katsu and udon in Yeonnam: Katsu

I was trying to figure out lunch before the Conan exhibition, and when my sister said she wanted pork cutlet (donkatsu), I looked up good places and found a hidden gem in Yeonnam. So I rushed over. This is Katsu Monster Yeonnam Main Branch, a donkatsu restaurant near Hongik University Station.

Katsu Monster Yeonnam Main Branch: location and hours

• Address: 서울 마포구 동교로38길 42-6 1층 101호 카츠몬스터 연남본점
• Location: 7-minute walk from Hongik University Station Exit 3
• Hours: 10:30 AM – 11:00 PM
• Last order: 10:30 PM
• Parking: nearby public parking lot, self-service
• Reservations: available via Naver Reservation

Katsu Monster, a donkatsu spot in Yeonnam, is tucked further inside Hongdae, on the Yeonnam-dong side. It's located in the dining alley packed with restaurants, so it's easy to find if you just pull up a map, haha.

Inside the restaurant: seating, and the two-tops are on the spacious side

The interior was cozy and cute. Most tables were for two, but there are also bar seats and a table for four, so I'd recommend booking ahead if you're coming with friends, or even for a Hongdae date.

The Japanese-style touches scattered around the space felt really atmospheric, subtly reminding you this is a donkatsu place. Each table has spoons and chopsticks, small sauce dishes, salt, and donkatsu sauce salad, but the two-tops still weren't cramped. Actually pretty spacious for a table for two.

What's on the menu

The menu had a good variety — loin katsu, fillet katsu, cheese katsu, and more. There were also rice bowls and udon options, giving plenty of choice. The side dish lineup was solid too, enough to make me want to come back solo. We ordered the assorted katsu (loin/fillet) and katsu-o udon.

How fast does the food come out

At Katsu Monster, the donkatsu spot in Yeonnam, the food came out fast — no long wait at all. Both dishes arrived together instead of separately, which made me think their kitchen turnaround must be quick. 💕

How the assorted katsu (loin/fillet) tasted

The assorted katsu set had loin and fillet, with rice, miso soup, salad, and rice crackers on the side. The cutlets were thick, so the visual alone was satisfying. Juices were already glistening on the surface — expectations sky high. 💓 The salad sauce was oriental style.

The loin at Katsu Monster, a favorite in Yeonnam, was moist and crispy but also had a subtle chewiness. I alternated between dipping it in sauce and salt. The fillet was so tender it felt like there were 126 lightning rods stuck in my head — I actually asked my sister, 'what even is this texture?' It melted in the mouth. I really want to go back just for the fillet katsu, ugh.

The katsu-o oden udon broth

The udon came loaded with fish cakes (oden) — a katsu-o soy sauce base, exactly the nostalgic taste from the udon stalls near old train stations. It was Sunset's favorite broth of the day. No fussy overload, just katsu-o flavor spreading cleanly. Perfect for a rainy day.

The noodles were nice and springy too, which paired well with the donkatsu. Haha.

Even dessert rice crackers

They gave us rice crackers for dessert, so we snacked on those too. The coating was crisp and well done, sweet and nutty and delicious. Everything, dish by dish, was clean and tasty, so next time I need a donkatsu meeting spot, I'll come back here. 🥰💕 Katsu Monster is a perfect Hongdae date-course restaurant — if you're looking for a lunch option or a donkatsu spot in Yeonnam-dong, I recommend it. 💓💓