Weekday lunch date gyukatsu sets for two in Yeouido, Seoul: Izawa

My husband and I finally had the same day off, so we went on a date to Yeouido! It's not often that our schedules line up on a weekday, so this time we decided to take it easy, have a nice lunch, and look around Yeouido.

The place we ended up at was Izawa Yeouido Direct Store. It's super easy to reach from Yeouido Station, and since you grill the meat yourself on a mini charcoal grill, the meal itself was a bit more fun — a good pick for a date with my husband after a long time apart.

Where is Izawa Yeouido Direct Store, and where do you park?

🏠42 Yeouinaru-ro, 203-ho, 204-ho, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul ⏰11:00-21:00 Break time 15:00-17:00 Last order 20:30 🚗1st floor ground parking free for 1 hour (basement parking is paid)

Izawa Yeouido Direct Store is right in the building in front of Yeouido Station Exit 5, so it was really easy to find. Even a great restaurant can eat up your time if it's tucked down some alley, but here the building comes into view the moment you step out of the station, so there was no trouble finding it. Parking is available too.

You can use the ground-level parking on the 1st floor free for one hour, while the basement parking is paid, so it's good to know that before you go! For anyone driving to their date, being a Yeouido Station restaurant with parking is a pretty solid point in its favor.

What time to visit Izawa for a relaxed meal

Yeouido has a lot of restaurants popular with office workers, so it can get crowded on weekday evenings. We went a bit early, and if you want to eat without feeling rushed, I'd recommend avoiding the just-after-work rush hour.

Inside the Izawa Yeouido dining room

Walking into Izawa Yeouido Direct Store, the whole space had a clean feel with gray tones and wood blended together. It was comfortable and tidy, making it easy to enjoy the meal without any pressure.

And right as we walked in, something caught our eye — Lim Young-woong's autograph! 😂 There were so many autographs on display, which was fun to see, and since I'm also a fan of his, I found myself glancing over again. Discovering these little surprises while restaurant-hopping is what makes them memorable.

Overall the clean interior made it a solid choice for a Yeouido date restaurant.

Menu and kiosk ordering: gyukatsu set for 18,000 won

Orders are placed via kiosk! Gyukatsu is the first thing that comes to mind with Izawa, but looking at the menu, there were more options than I expected. Along with gyukatsu, there were steki, ramen, mazesoba and more, so it seemed like a good spot even if everyone in your group has different tastes.

Gyukatsu set ₩18,000

Since it was just my husband and me, we ordered two gyukatsu sets. The set comes with gyukatsu along with rice and soup, so it made for a proper full meal. The portion of gyukatsu was more generous than I expected, too! These days it's disappointing when a meat dish comes up short on portion size, but we had no complaints about the amount between the two of us that day.

Grilling gyukatsu to your own doneness on the mini grill

The most fun part of Izawa's gyukatsu was grilling it yourself on a mini charcoal grill. It comes already partly cooked, but you can grill it further at the table as much as you like, so you can enjoy it exactly to your taste.

I like mine soft, so I only grilled it lightly, while my husband cooked his a bit more. Being able to each choose our own level of doneness was great! If it's your first time, I'd recommend grilling one piece at a time rather than a lot at once, to find the doneness that suits you.

How the gyukatsu tasted: crisp outside, tender inside

With the first bite, the outside was crispy while the inside was soft and juicy — you could really feel gyukatsu's signature charm. It was fun how the texture changed depending on how long you grilled it yourself, and since the set comes with rice and soup too, it made for a satisfying full meal!

Tips for visiting Izawa Yeouido Direct Store

• Right in front of Yeouido Station Exit 5
• 1st floor ground parking free for 1 hour (basement parking is paid)
• On weekdays, going before the after-work rush makes for a more relaxed meal

Is Izawa a good date restaurant in Yeouido?

It had been a while since my husband and I had matching days off, so this Yeouido date was a nice one — grilling the meat ourselves gave us something to chat about and made for a fun time together during the meal. Being right in front of Yeouido Station made getting there easy, and the clean interior made it a solid choice for a date meal too — Izawa Yeouido Direct Store. Most of all, the crisp yet tender gyukatsu and the fun of grilling it ourselves stuck with me. 🥰

If you're looking for a Yeouido Station restaurant or a Yeouido date restaurant, give Izawa Yeouido Direct Store a try!