Weekend date course at Pangyo tonkatsu restaurant Katsu Shokudo

Hello, this is Duck!

On the weekend, my husband and I finished a new members' class at church and headed over to the Pangyo Hyundai Department Store area. I'm here to introduce a restaurant that gave us a perfect three-in-one weekend date — easy parking, delicious food, and a look around the department store. Here's my honest review of 'Katsu Shokudo Pangyo Main Branch,' which is already famous among Pangyo office workers as a go-to lunch tonkatsu spot.

• Katsu Shokudo Pangyo Main Branch
• Monday-Friday 11:30-21:00
• Saturday-Sunday 11:30-20:30

Full at 2pm on a weekend? Waiting at Katsu Shokudo Pangyo Main Branch

Katsu Shokudo Pangyo Main Branch was nearly full even at 2pm on a weekend, with only 3-4 tables left. We arrived around 2pm right after our class ended, so naturally I thought it would be quiet. But no — even though it was well past lunchtime, there were barely any seats left! Seeing couples on dates as well as families with kids, I thought, 'ah, this really is a Pangyo hotspot.'

There's a big, spacious menu board right at the entrance, and you order via a kiosk at your table inside. We wanted to take our time looking at the menu, so we picked carefully outside before going in.

Seating, parking and the underground link to Pangyo Hyundai Department Store

Inside Katsu Shokudo Pangyo Main Branch, there's a good mix of 2-seat tables perfect for solo dining and roomier 4-seat tables, so weekday office workers eating alone would feel completely at ease. (Sadly there were too many customers, so I couldn't get interior photos, ugh.) Also, parking at Pangyo Hyundai is always a worry — but this Pangyo hotspot offers 3 hours of free parking and is directly connected to Pangyo Hyundai Department Store, so grabbing a meal and then heading over to shop makes for a really great route!!!!

Even thoughtful touches like dental floss and hair ties.. this really is a proven office-worker lunch spot.

What comes with the Katsu Shokudo set for two, and is it enough?

Since we came as a couple, we ordered the most generous option, the 'set for two.' The set comes with both hire-katsu and loin-katsu, plus cold soba, udon, and curry all at once — it was really abundant.

I was especially surprised by how much udon and cold soba came as sides with the set! The cold soba had plenty of grated radish and wasabi mixed in, and the tangy, spicy-cool broth flavor was truly top-notch.

So my husband got full eating the soba and barely touched the udon, while I — a noodle fanatic — polished off the udon too, haha.

Low-temperature aged loin katsu vs hire-katsu: what is the difference?

I took a bite of the main event, the katsu, and honestly — no exaggeration — it was better than that famous katsu place in Yeonnam-dong I once waited in a long line for! They say it goes through a low-temperature aging process, and maybe that's why the meat texture was so tender.

My husband, who usually likes rich cuts like samgyeopsal (pork belly), picked the loin-katsu (pork loin) as his top choice for its balance of fat and lean meat.

It wasn't overly greasy, so it stayed savory without getting heavy all the way through. On the other hand, since I prefer lighter flavors, the hire-katsu (pork fillet), which is the epitome of tenderness, was perfect for my taste.

Pink salt, yuzu wasabi and the best dipping combinations

The table kiosk had tips for eating it deliciously, so for the first bite we dipped it in Himalayan pink salt to taste the pure flavor of the meat.

My personal favorite combination was 'yuzu wasabi'! It tones down the wasabi's sharp bite just a little while adding yuzu's fragrant aroma, taking the tonkatsu's flavor up another notch.

Eating with kids: the tonkatsu and curry combination

There were a lot of families with kids around us too. The kids seemed to love the tonkatsu + curry combo, asking for more rice and curry. The curry was thick and rich, pairing really well with the tonkatsu, haha.

Is Katsu Shokudo a good Pangyo date course? Final verdict

It was a Pangyo date course with easy parking and perfect food. With thick katsu paired with soba, udon, and curry, it felt like a truly filling, satisfying meal. Parking was so convenient that it was a great route to stop by before or after shopping at Pangyo Hyundai Department Store. If you're looking for a can't-miss tonkatsu restaurant in Pangyo or a comfortable weekend date course, definitely check out Katsu Shokudo!

When you eat katsu, which do you prefer — the savory, crispy loin-katsu or the moist, light hire-katsu? Share your favorite katsu in the comments!