Kid-friendly donkatsu restaurant in Gwangsan, Gwangju: Jinsim King

Today I was looking for a hearty lunch spot near Pyeongdong Station and ended up at Jinsim King Donkatsu Pyeongdong Branch.

I'm usually a fan of donkatsu (pork cutlet), so I went in excited to see what to order.

Where is Jinsim King Donkatsu Pyeongdong Branch, and when is it open?

📍 Location

• Jinsim King Donkatsu Pyeongdong Branch / 11-13 Pyeongdong-ro 800beon-gil, Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju, South Korea
• Hours 09:00–21:00 / break 14:30–15:30
• Parking available
• Takeout and delivery available

Inside the restaurant: kids' tableware and high chairs

🏠 Inside the restaurant

The clean, tidy look of the place caught my eye as soon as we walked in, and I liked how bright the atmosphere was. The space is large with generous gaps between tables, which made it feel great for eating with family or friends.

I especially noticed kids' plates and a high chair were ready to go, which seemed like a real plus for families dining out with children!

What's on the self-serve bar, and the note about fresh pork loin

The self-serve bar had lettuce, kimchi and pickled radish, plus scissors and tongs, all free to grab as much as you needed! I liked that soup and broth were also unlimited.

A sign in the restaurant explained that the reddish color of the cutlet comes naturally from using unfrozen fresh pork loin, not food additives, which put my mind at ease. There was also a clearly posted origin label for the main ingredients like pork, rice and chicken, which is handy to check when choosing where to eat.

Jinsim Jjol fish cutlet and cheese waterfall donkatsu, 15,900 won each

Menu-wise, we ordered the Jinsim Jjol fish cutlet and the cheese waterfall donkatsu. Jinsim Jjol Donkatsu ₩15,900, Cheese Waterfall Donkatsu ₩15,900.

Pretty generous portion even in photos, right? The crispy fried cutlet came topped with plenty of sauce, plus rice, salad and corn on the side, making it feel like a proper full meal haha. Cutting into it, there was meat tucked inside the crunchy breading. Eating cutlet alone can get a bit heavy, but pairing it with the salad made it even better!

The Jinsim Jjol fish cutlet comes with jjolmyeon (chewy spicy cold noodles) alongside the crispy, savory cutlet, and the flavors worked so well together I kept going back for more. If you like spicy noodle dishes, ordering this combo is a great call.

The cheese waterfall donkatsu had a thick cutlet loaded with tons of cheese! If you love cheese like I do, you'll really enjoy this one. The sauce and cutlet paired so well that I finished the whole plate haha.

Self-packing station for leftovers and the full menu

Jinsim King Donkatsu Pyeongdong Branch also had a spot for packing up leftovers! When you're eating with kids, you often end up with extra cutlet, so it was nice to box it up here and just microwave it the next morning.

Looking at the menu board, there was more than just the basic king donkatsu — curry donkatsu, fish cutlet, kimchi nabe (kimchi hot pot) and other dishes were all available. That made it seem like a great spot for a group of cutlet lovers to visit and try different things. They're also running a Naver receipt review event, so you can get a perk for leaving a review after your visit — worth keeping in mind!

Is Jinsim King Donkatsu Pyeongdong Branch worth a visit?

Parking was convenient, so we're planning to come back again. They also have Jinsim tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes), fish cake skewer udon, and Jinsim King Bibimbap on the menu. It seemed like a solid choice for anyone who likes generous portions or is looking for a place to eat with kids! Stop by when you're craving donkatsu near Pyeongdong Station! 😉