Yeonnam-dong tonkatsu revisit, three sauce refills: Katsu Monster

Why I went back to Katsu Monster Yeonnam Main Branch

Katsu Monster Yeonnam Main Branch is the Japanese tonkatsu place you have to visit if you're looking for a great cutlet spot in Yeonnam-dong. I've lived in Hongdae for three years now, and after going once with my dad, I went again this time with a friend — and once again confirmed it's a proven favorite. If you've got a lunch date in Yeonnam-dong, you have to bring them here!

I visited the Yeonnam Main Branch, and it turns out this is a proper Japanese tonkatsu chain with four locations across Seoul. There are just so many hotspot restaurants in Yeonnam-dong that I don't think I'll ever be able to leave Hongdae... T_T

Where is Katsu Monster Yeonnam Main Branch?

You'll find Katsu Monster Yeonnam Main Branch if you walk past Yeontral Park and wander through the Yeonnam-dong alleys. It's like a hidden gem of a tonkatsu place in Hongdae's Yeonnam-dong — already famous among local residents and office workers who love tonkatsu as a go-to lunch or solo-dining spot in Yeonnam-dong, and it draws plenty of customers.

What Japanese dishes does Katsu Monster serve besides tonkatsu?

Katsu Monster Yeonnam doesn't just serve tonkatsu — it also has rice bowls, soba, curry, and udon, basically every Japanese dish you'd want to try on a trip to Japan. So it's like meeting Japan right here in Yeonnam-dong — come whenever you're craving a Japan trip. Honestly, it's better than the tonkatsu I had in Japan, so once you try it, you'll understand why this Yeonnam-dong spot has people waiting in line. Haha

Is Katsu Monster good for solo dining?

Katsu Monster Yeonnam Main Branch doesn't have a ton of tables, but it has everything from solo seats to 4-person tables, which is why it's loved by solo diners in Yeonnam-dong and Hongdae. I've been going around looking for good Hongdae solo-dining spots lately, and this place comes to mind every time. T_T

Sharing loin, fillet and cheese katsu sets with a friend

For this return visit, we went with the classics — loin, fillet, and cheese options — and split them nicely with my friend. Though it really did take forever to decide (indecisive as always...)

Cheese katsu + fillet set: two big pieces of cheese katsu

Katsu Monster's set that pairs cheese katsu with fillet gives you two big chunks of cheese katsu, so your mouth fills with rich cheesy aroma. Haha. Just looking at it, you can tell this is a tonkatsu place with real skill behind it.

Fillet + loin set: filling even for one grown man

The set that combines fillet and loin comes out thick and generous — plenty even for one grown man to finish on his own. You can really feel how much meat they put into it, filling your mouth with the taste of authentic Japanese tonkatsu.

How to eat Katsu Monster tonkatsu: sauce refills and salt

Katsu Monster Yeonnam Main Branch has salad sauce and wasabi on every table, so you can add them to your taste. I love the Japanese-style tonkatsu sauce, so I ended up refilling it three times. Haha

Still, I wanted to finish the very last piece cleanly with just salt, so — a little reluctantly — I savored the final fillet and loin katsu topped with salt, nice and slow!

A Hongdae local's pick for tonkatsu in Yeonnam-dong

I don't need to say it's a great restaurant over and over — the photos prove it. So many places used to be here and are gone now, places that existed and then vanished... haha. If you're planning a weekend outing to Yeonnam-dong, don't go searching far and wide — just head to Katsu Monster Yeonnam Main Branch, the go-to lunch spot in Hongdae and Yeonnam.