Solo lunch gyukatsu set and mini curry in Cheonan Sinbu-dong: Izawa

Today I went out alone for lunch on a Friday, waiting for my fiancé to get off work, and treated myself to some delicious gyukatsu (Japanese-style beef cutlet) haha! I finally made it to Izawa Cheonan Sinbu-dong Branch, a Sinbu-dong spot I'd had bookmarked for a while. It's a place where you can eat comfortably even solo, so I highly recommend it to fellow solo diners — and it's also gotten a reputation as a great evening date spot in Cheonan Sinbu-dong!

Where is Izawa Cheonan Sinbu-dong Branch, and what are the hours and parking?

Izawa Cheonan Sinbu-dong Branch is located at 18-1 Meokgeori 10-gil, Dongnam-gu, Cheonan-si, Chungcheongnam-do, South Korea, and is open from 11:30 to 21:00. Break time runs from 14:40 to 16:40, last order is at 19:50, and it's closed on Mondays.

• 📍18-1 Meokgeori 10-gil, Dongnam-gu, Cheonan-si, Chungcheongnam-do, South Korea
• ⏰Hours 11:30 - 21:00 / Break time 14:40-16:40
• Last order 19:50 / Closed Mondays
• 🅿️ Parking available (Sinbu Public Parking Lots No. 4 & 5 — 30 minutes free plus a 1-hour parking voucher, up to 1 hour 30 minutes total)

It's inside the Cheonan Bus Terminal food street, so it was really easy to get to! Go up to the 2nd floor of the building and the restaurant is right there!

Just a heads up — the menu is being renewed and pork cutlet (donkatsu) isn't being served right now, so keep that in mind before you visit!☑️

Inside Izawa: seating and how it feels to eat alone

Izawa Cheonan Sinbu-dong Branch has seating from 2-tops to 4-tops, and each table already has a mini charcoal grill set up. The layout means you don't feel out of place eating alone, which made it perfect for a Friday lunch solo meal.

Walking through the door of Izawa Cheonan Sinbu-dong Branch, the warm and cozy wood-tone interior catches your eye right away! It genuinely felt like I'd traveled to a local restaurant in Japan haha. The tables are spaced neatly, and each one already has a mini charcoal grill ready to go! With everything from 2-tops to 4-tops available, it's great for couples looking for a date restaurant in Cheonan Sinbu-dong. And as someone visiting alone, I really loved that the layout let me sit and eat comfortably without feeling out of place 👍🏻

I sat by the window, and the seat was spacious enough that I never felt cramped while eating! ✨

Izawa's menu and how to get the free mini curry

Here's the Izawa menu⬆️ Everything from gyukatsu sets to rice bowls and noodle dishes👍🏻 There are also set menus, so if you come with two people, ordering a set could be a good option!

🥘 Write a Naver receipt photo review and you get a mini curry for free. It's the perfect pairing to go with your gyukatsu or rice, so make sure to leave that review and claim your mini curry too haha.

What comes with the gyukatsu set, and grilling it on the mini charcoal grill

What I ordered was the gyukatsu set meal and the mini curry at Izawa Cheonan Sinbu-dong Branch. The gyukatsu set came with salad, rice, warm miso soup, and the basic sauces.

I ordered the gyukatsu set plus the mini curry together! It wasn't long after ordering before a neatly arranged full spread came out! The outside was thin and crispy while the inside held juicy beef — just looking at it made my mouth water..🤤 It also came generously loaded with fresh salad, rice, warm miso soup, and the basic sauces — a really filling gyukatsu spread from this Sinbu-dong restaurant!

Once they light the mini charcoal grill on the table, you place the meat pieces on one by one and grill them yourself! Being able to cook each bite fresh and hot to your own preferred doneness is the best part!🔥

The crispy breading and tender meat texture — crispy outside, tender inside — was so delicious,,👍🏻 Dip it lightly in salt, or add a bit of sharp wasabi and dip it in soy sauce, and the savory umami fills your mouth 🤍

How the mini curry pairs with the gyukatsu

Partway through the gyukatsu, I added the mini curry and mixed it into my rice for a bite — and it had that rich, deep flavor of Japanese-style curry that paired perfectly with the gyukatsu haha. Pile the curry generously on the rice, top it with a well-cooked piece of gyukatsu, and it's truly a delicious combination👍🏻 By the time I'd cleaned my plate of both the gyukatsu set and the curry, I was stuffed to the point of bursting and so satisfied! Izawa is a Sinbu-dong restaurant I want to bring my fiancé to next time 🤍

Who should visit Izawa Cheonan Sinbu-dong Branch

Izawa Cheonan Sinbu-dong Branch was such a satisfying Sinbu-dong restaurant, letting me grill high-quality meat myself in a quiet, comfortable atmosphere! Visiting alone felt completely stress-free, and it also seems like a great option for dinner near Cheonan Bus Terminal! There may be a wait during weekend peak times, so I'd recommend arriving a bit early. If you're looking for a great gyukatsu restaurant in Cheonan, I recommend Izawa! 🤍