Yangjae-dong after-work tonkatsu dinner with pink salt: Yangjae Katsu

An after-work tonkatsu dinner for two at Yangjae Katsu in Yangjae-dong

I was looking for a tonkatsu place in Yangjae-dong and ended up at Yangjae Katsu. My husband loves tonkatsu, so we stopped by for dinner right when I got off work.

Is Yangjae Katsu good for eating alone?

Yangjae Katsu has wood-toned tables and chairs, so it felt clean and warm. The lighting was bright overall, and there were quite a lot of seats for the size of the place.

By the window there are seats facing outside, so it looked fine for solo dining. With so many offices nearby, it would be great for an office worker's lunch or an after-work dinner too. There was a good mix of 2-person and 4-person tables, and every table had an ordering tablet, which made ordering easy. haha

Yangjae Katsu location, opening hours and parking

• Address: 56 Nonhyeon-ro 31-gil, Seocho-gu, Seoul
• Subway: about 650 m from Yangjae Station Exit 8 (Shinbundang Line)
• Hours: daily 11:00 - 21:00
• Amenities: Wi-Fi, takeout available

Yangjae Katsu is within walking distance of Yangjae Station Exit 8, in a shop behind the Black Yak headquarters.

There's also parking for about 3–4 cars in front, so driving seemed fine too if your timing works out.

What we ordered at Yangjae Katsu: set menus and prices

We ordered the loin katsu + shrimp set and the loin + hire katsu 2-piece set. Everything is cooked to order, so it took about 10–15 minutes. haha The tonkatsu came out piping hot and crispy!

Loin katsu and shrimp tempura set: 16,500 won

The loin katsu + shrimp set is ₩16,500 and comes with 48-hour aged loin katsu plus a whole black tiger shrimp fry.

Loin and hire katsu 2-piece set: 17,000 won

The loin + hire katsu 2-piece set is ₩17,000, and being able to try both loin and tenderloin made it easy to compare the two cuts. haha

How do Yangjae Katsu's loin katsu, hire katsu and shrimp taste?

The loin katsu is on the thick side, with real pork flavor and a very crispy coating.

The hire katsu, true to tenderloin, was clearly soft and juicy, with almost no dryness. Doesn't that rosy pink look delicious?? haha I was told the pink color isn't undercooked meat, it's just because the pork is fresh!

Maybe because they're black tiger shrimp, the fried shrimp was a good size, and the plump texture when you bite in was great.

Why pink salt, wasabi and lemon suit Yangjae Katsu's tonkatsu

The basic set came with tonkatsu, rice, soup, cabbage salad, kkakdugi (cubed radish kimchi) and pickles.

One of the suggested ways to eat it was dipping in pink salt, and dipping in salt and adding a little wasabi was my favorite combo. The salt made the pork flavor feel cleaner, and a bit of wasabi cut the richness so I didn't get tired of it until the end.

Of course, the classic dip in katsu sauce is also really good. haha

A lemon wedge came along too, and I squeezed a little on. The freshness it added went surprisingly well. It's good with the cabbage salad too!!

Who is Yangjae Katsu, a Yangjae-dong tonkatsu restaurant, right for?

Yangjae Katsu seems right for anyone looking for a tidy tonkatsu place in Yangjae-dong. If you like thick, meaty cutlets like the loin katsu, or prefer tender tenderloin like the hire katsu, you'll likely be happy here. The shrimp is hefty too, so if a single cutlet feels like not enough, a set menu seems like a good call.

There are also noodle sets, which I plan to try when I go back. haha With counter-style solo seats plus 2-person and 4-person tables, it seemed like a great Yangjae-dong tonkatsu spot for eating solo, office lunches, after-work dinners and dates!