Two double gyukatsu after work at Izawa, a Yeouido Station restaurant

Hi, I'm Lea, a Yeouido office worker. My husband and I are both meat-obsessed, and lately one of our go-to menus is gyukatsu (breaded beef cutlet). So many good gyukatsu restaurants have popped up in Yeouido recently that we've been going often for dinner after work. This is exactly why a lazy homemaker like me loves Yeouido, haha.

Where is Izawa Yeouido Direct Store, and what are its hours?

• Address: 2nd floor, Yeouido Jonghap Sangga, 42 Yeouinaru-ro, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• Hours: Daily 11:00–21:00
• Break time: 15:00–17:00

Izawa Yeouido Direct Store is open every day, weekdays and weekends alike. On weekdays it's probably packed with office workers, and on weekends I'd guess it fills up with couples on dates or friends meeting up for gyukatsu. Being close to Yeouido Station, it also seems like a natural stop for lunch or dinner for anyone visiting The Hyundai Seoul — a gyukatsu restaurant worth knowing about, Izawa Yeouido Direct Store.

How long is the after-work wait at Izawa?

I came for dinner right after work, and being so close to Yeouido Station, the place was clearly popular. I wrote my name on the waitlist and waited about 20 minutes before being shown to a table. There were seats to sit on while waiting, which was nice. Actually, I arrived first and put my name down, but we couldn't be seated until my partner showed up — the whole party has to be present before you're let in, so keep that in mind.

What is the dining room at Izawa like?

The inside of Izawa Yeouido Direct Store was better ventilated and more pleasant than I expected. Couples on dates, groups of friends — lots of customers were having a good time eating gyukatsu.

Izawa menu and prices near Yeouido Station

Let's take a look at the menu. Besides the signature gyukatsu, there's steki don (grilled beef rice bowl), gyudon (beef rice bowl), ramen, and more.

• Gyukatsu set ₩18,000
• Double gyukatsu ₩33,000
• Steki set ₩18,000
• Steki don ₩18,000
• Gyukatsu double ₩33,000

Looking around at other tables, most people were eating the signature gyukatsu. We both went with the double gyukatsu. Hehe :)

Grilling the 33,000-won double gyukatsu on one table brazier

At Izawa Yeouido Direct Store, each table gets one mini brazier to grill your gyukatsu on. A tiny grill that's dripping with Japanese-restaurant atmosphere.

As someone with an impatient personality, I'd honestly prefer one grill per person, but sharing a single brazier with my partner to grill our gyukatsu together kind of gave me that fluttery, early-dating feeling. After a short wait, our double gyukatsu arrived. As expected, it looked hugely generous from the start :) The double gyukatsu set comes with rice as standard, too. Even the regular gyukatsu set isn't a small portion, but since I barely eat carbs and mostly just eat the gyukatsu itself, I tend to order the double. And honestly, everything tastes better when it's a hearty portion :)

I was starving that day so I inhaled the gyukatsu without much thought :) It's plenty tasty on its own without any sauce, and topping it with fresh wasabi gives it a whole different, appealing kick.

Verdict: is Izawa worth it for gyukatsu near Yeouido Station?

After finishing our meal and paying, I noticed a poster of singer Lim Young-woong on the way out. Is the owner of Izawa Yeouido friends with him or something?! Fans of his would probably be thrilled to spot this poster :) Being so close to Yeouido Station, I'd recommend Izawa as a date-course restaurant — we ate well and left happy.