Steak rice bowl date at Izawa, a Japanese restaurant in Cheonan

Today I visited Izawa Cheonan Sinbu-dong Branch, a great pick if you're hunting for restaurants near Cheonan Terminal! It's good for lunch or dinner, and what I really loved was the gyukatsu (beef cutlet) — you grill the beef cutlet yourself, right at the table, to your own taste.

Where is Izawa Cheonan Sinbu-dong Branch, and what is it like inside?

Izawa Cheonan Sinbu-dong Branch sits on the 2nd floor of a building right in front of Sinbu Culture Park, so it wasn't hard to find at all! Being right in the center of Sinbu-dong made it easy to get to, and it's a solid choice when you're looking for somewhere to eat near Cheonan Terminal.

Here's the overall interior. The tables had a comfortable amount of spacing, and since the chairs have backrests, it felt like you could sit and eat for a while without getting uncomfortable.

There's a range of seating from tables for 2-4 people to counter seats, so you can comfortably pick a spot that fits your group size.

What is on the menu at Izawa Cheonan Sinbu-dong Branch?

From the signature gyukatsu set to rice bowls and noodle dishes, there's a good variety on the menu :) They also have set menus with solid value for money, so I always order a set menu whenever I visit.

While waiting for the food, I did a quick read-up on what gyukatsu actually is ••

Gyukatsu set 17,000 won and steakidon 15,000 won

• Gyukatsu set ₩17,000
• Steak rice bowl (steakidon) ₩15,000

The gyukatsu set, Izawa Cheonan Sinbu-dong Branch's signature dish! The beef, salad, rice, clear soup, sauce, and diced radish kimchi (kkakdugi) all come out neatly on one tray. The rice is sprinkled with furikake seasoning, so it tasted great with savory umami even on its own. Rice and clear soup come with free refills!

Next up, the steak rice bowl! Same furikake-sprinkled rice as the base, but this time piled all around with medium-rare grilled steak. Just look at that glossy steak — doesn't it look incredible already? Haha.

How to grill the beef yourself on the mini brazier

Once everything's set on the table, a staff member lights the mini charcoal brazier so you can enjoy the food nice and warm.

Then you just place the meat on the mini brazier and grill it to whatever doneness you like.

The sizzling sound and the delicious smell wafting up really got my ears and nose going, haha. The more the meat cooked, the more my appetite kicked in.

Once the meat's cooked just right, dip it into the sauce, add a touch of wasabi, and eat it with rice — mmm. Juicy and perfectly seasoned, I really enjoyed it, haha. Eating it with rice made it filling enough to count as a full meal.

Gyukatsu set vs steakidon: which tasted better?

Personally, I liked the steak rice bowl more than the gyukatsu set! The gyukatsu had that crispy-outside, tender-inside feel, but the steak was moist on the outside and soft all the way through, which made it taste even better to me, haha.

On my way out to pay after finishing my meal, I noticed a bunch of decor pieces with strong Japanese vibes, so I snapped a few photos.

Is Izawa Cheonan Sinbu-dong Branch worth a visit?

Izawa Cheonan Sinbu-dong Branch is a great spot to enjoy beef at a good price, with a varied menu ranging from gyukatsu to rice bowls that makes for a filling meal ❤️🔥 If you're looking for a gyukatsu restaurant or a good date spot in Cheonan's Sinbu-dong, or searching for somewhere to eat dinner near Cheonan Terminal, I'd recommend Izawa Cheonan Sinbu-dong Branch. If you're a fan of gyukatsu, it's worth a visit!