Seolleung gyukatsu restaurant, three dishes for three: Gyuen Dang

Today I visited a place near Seolleung Station where you can enjoy elegant, well-plated Japanese food in a great atmosphere. It's Gyuen Dang Seolleung Branch (규엔당 선릉점), a gyukatsu and Japanese restaurant that recently opened and has been gaining buzz. Here's my honest review.

Where is Gyuen Dang Seolleung Branch, and what should you know before going?

• 📍 Address: 26 Seolleung-ro 86-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea (2nd floor)
• ⏰ Weekdays 11:00–22:00 (break time 15:00–17:00 / last order 20:30)
• ⏰ Weekends 11:30–22:00 (no break time on weekends / last order 20:30)
• 🚗 Parking: not available (public transit recommended)
• ✨ Features: Naver reservations available, group-friendly, no pets

It's right in the middle of the Seolleung Station food alley, so it was very easy to reach on foot from the subway station. Head up to the 2nd floor of the building and open the door, and you're greeted by a warm, clean, modern Japanese interior done in wood tones.

The tables are spaced comfortably apart and the space feels open, making it just as good for a date as it is for lunch or dinner gatherings among nearby office workers. The Naver reservation system is well set up and there are group tables too, so booking ahead means you can be seated much more easily without waiting.

Reading the brand introduction posted on one wall, I learned that Gyuen Dang is built on the philosophy of people who've long worked with fire and the grill. One line stuck with me: "Even the same cut of meat tastes different depending on its distance from the fire, and a few seconds' difference changes the texture."

Even the same cut of meat tastes different depending on its distance from the fire, and a few seconds' difference changes the texture.

The owner's care in wanting to serve the most honest, warm meal — finished right at the fire — showed clearly in every dish and every table setting.

The country-of-origin labeling was clearly posted too, haha.

Gyuen Dang's menu and how ordering works

I liked that you could check the menu right outside the store. Once inside, there was also a menu at every table.

Gyuen Dang's signature dishes are, without question, the grill-your-own gyukatsu and the omurice with its fluffy egg. Just looking at the menu, so many dishes looked delicious that I hesitated for a long time. In the end, to share with my friends, we ordered the most popular combination: tenderloin gyukatsu, brie cheese omurice, and potato curry. You can order right at your table using the QR code.

Tenderloin gyukatsu: grilling the beef cutlet yourself on a mini charcoal grill

I hadn't had gyukatsu in a while, so my expectations were high before we even started eating! Each person gets their own mini charcoal grill, and you place the meat on it and cook it yourself to your preferred doneness. Just watching and hearing the sizzle as it cooked was fun in itself.

Maybe because it uses tenderloin rather than the more common sirloin, the texture was unbelievably tender.

It melted the moment it hit my mouth, and with a crisp exterior and a rich, savory, juicy interior, the flavor filled every bite in the best way.

Adding a bit of the wasabi served alongside, or dipping it in wasabi salt or the house special sauce, cut through the richness cleanly, so we never got tired of it and finished every bite happily.

Brie cheese omurice: my top pick of this visit

If I had to pick my personal favorite from this visit, it's easily the brie cheese omurice! The performance of cutting into the big, fluffy egg omurice with a knife right down the middle already made it visually perfect.

Once you cut into the egg, rich, melted brie cheese pours out generously from inside. The nutty, rich flavor of the cheese, the soft and fluffy egg, and the savory demi-glace sauce came together in what was honestly art.

The moment I took a bite, I couldn't help but marvel at how rich the flavor was, and if I ever come back to Gyuen Dang, this dish is definitely my first order again.

Potato curry: my friend's top pick

This was my friend's favorite pick from our visit: potato curry! It's a Japanese-style curry known for its deep, rich flavor, and it's plated stacked up neatly like a tower, which made it great for photos too.

Crispy, savory shredded potatoes are piled generously over the rice, topped with two large fried sweet pumpkin pieces and two round, crisply fried croquettes. The batter was so crunchy it had real bite, and especially good was the combination of the sweet fried pumpkin and soft croquettes dipped deep into the rich curry sauce.

The curry flavor itself was so deep that we scraped the whole plate clean along with the rice.

Is Gyuen Dang worth it for lunch or a date near Seolleung Station?

True to a place built on an honest philosophy about "fire and the grill," every dish we ordered showed real care in its finish, flavor, and presentation — a thoroughly satisfying meal.

From the fun of grilling your own meat on a personal charcoal grill and the standout texture of the tenderloin gyukatsu, to the brie cheese omurice bursting with rich cheesy flavor, to the potato curry with its crispy fried toppings and deep curry aroma — nothing fell short. If you're looking for an elegant, atmospheric Japanese restaurant near Seolleung Station or Samseong-dong, or a spot for a date or a pleasant lunch or dinner with someone, I strongly recommend visiting Gyuen Dang Seolleung Branch!