Late-lunch tonkatsu with no wait via CatchTable: Hets Jeonpo, Busan

How to sign up on CatchTable before visiting Hets Jeonpo

I heard there was a hot new katsu spot in Jeonpo. It's a tonkatsu place called Hets, and apparently the wait at peak hours is no joke. So I registered ahead on CatchTable before heading over.

Outside the restaurant there's a CatchTable kiosk and seats to wait on.

Hets sits right in the middle of Jeonpo's main street. Even from outside it stood out with a simple, clean interior. The exterior is minimal, with just the Hets sign — if it weren't for the tonkatsu photos I might have just walked past. A tonkatsu place this hip!!! Love it!!

Silver bar counter, luggage storage and a high chair at Hets Jeonpo

The moment I walked in, the coordinated silver interior put me at ease haha. Everything is set up as a bar-style counter. This style is a hot way to eat katsu these days — I've seen it in my own neighborhood too!! The interior is unified in silver tones, and even the lighting was carefully thought out — genuinely stylish.

There were thoughtful touches all around the restaurant. Fitting for Jeonpo, where lots of foreign visitors and travelers pass through, there's a separate luggage storage space, and the restroom is inside the restaurant too, which is convenient.

And there was a baby chair!! Honestly, not many places in the Jeonpo area cater to kids with chairs or dishes, so Hets really impressed me with that thoughtfulness! But haha, the baby chair was this orange color I've never seen before... genuinely one of a kind haha. Great taste.

Right next to it they were even selling small goods. I wondered if the owner had studied fine art, the sense of style was that good. And they were actively listening to customer feedback through notes, which they'd also turned into part of the decor.

How long is the late-lunch wait at Hets Jeonpo?

They say at peak hours the wait usually runs about an hour, but since we went for a late lunch, there was only one table ahead of us eating! If you hate crowds and have some flexibility in your schedule, a slightly later lunch isn't a bad idea at all! Waiting can be pre-registered through CatchTable, which is convenient... but you should still expect some wait time!

Kkakdugi (radish kimchi), clear soup and corn dressing

After we sat and ordered, they first brought out kkakdugi (radish kimchi) and sauce, with cold tea already set out at the counter.

Rice and savory soup came out right away. The soup was spicier than expected but had real depth!! It was good enough to slurp straight from the spoon?!?!

There were several sauces set out on the table. Wasabi, truffle oil, pepper, and a salad dressing — and one of them was a little special: the sauce drizzled on the salad turned out to be a corn dressing!? It was a flavor I'd never tried before and I got completely hooked!!! It was so good I ended up slurping the cabbage down like noodles hahaha.

Hire katsu vs loin katsu: comparing the two plates

I ordered both hire katsu and loin katsu.

The hire katsu was so tender!!!! Crispy on the outside, moist inside, with the meat texture still intact. This is what makes a proper katsu place, I thought haha. There's also silbi kimchi, which they'll bring you a plate of if you ask separately! I'm bad with spicy food so I skipped it for now—

The loin katsu was just as tender and delicious. The texture of the meat was really good. Even though it's the same katsu, the sauce combinations gave a completely different experience.

So I tried dipping into every sauce, and I found drizzling on the truffle oil was the tastiest for me.

Drinks and add-on menu items at Hets Jeonpo

They also sell draft beer — Kirin beer, specifically. A beer alongside katsu sounds amazing... but driving issue ㅠ.ㅠ

Free service menu for pregnant guests and police officers

What makes Hets special is the service. For groups like pregnant customers or police officers, they offer a separate special service menu. It's rare to see this kind of consideration these days, and I hope word spreads and they do really well.

Is Hets Jeonpo worth adding to a Jeonpo walking route?

It's amazing that such a great katsu restaurant opened up in Jeonpo. The interior is stylish, the menu quality is great, and the service goes above and beyond!! Jeonpo has been getting more and more hot spots lately. It's an area that Busan travelers visit often, and Hets definitely deserves a spot on your must-visit list while traveling!! Just don't forget to book ahead via CatchTable during peak hours!! That way you can enjoy it comfortably without waiting.

Dongbaekjeon payment is accepted, and they even serve a trendy candy for dessert!

Hets Jeonpo Branch hours, break time and amenities at a glance

• Address: 225 Jeonpo-daero, 2nd floor, Unit 201, Busanjin-gu, Busan, South Korea
• Hours: Daily 11:10 - 20:30
• Break time: 15:30 - 17:00 / Last order 15:00, 20:00
• Waiting: CatchTable pre-registration required
• Amenities: Private room, restroom, luggage storage, baby chair
• Menu: Hire katsu, loin katsu, katsu set meals