Gyukatsu restaurant date in Wonju: salt vs wasabi sirloin, Ichigyu

Every time my boyfriend and I go on a date in Musil-dong, the biggest question is always "what should we eat today?" haha. This time I was really craving gyukatsu (breaded fried beef cutlet), so we went to Ichigyu, a well-known spot in Wonju!

If you're looking for somewhere to date in Musil-dong, it's also great for pairing with a movie since the route works so well — I want to recommend it as a Musil-dong restaurant too!

Where is Ichigyu Wonju? Location, hours and parking

Ichigyu Wonju is located at 51 Neungna-dong-gil, 1st floor, units 135 and 136, Wonju-si, Gangwon-do. It's open daily from 11:00 to 21:30, with a break time from 15:00 to 17:00 and last order at 20:30. You can park in the building's basement parking lot.

Inside Ichigyu Wonju: a clean, Japanese-style dining room

Walking into Ichigyu, the whole place has a warm, wood-toned Japanese restaurant vibe! It's not the loud, chaotic atmosphere of a typical grilled meat spot, so it's comfortable for two people to sit and eat,

and maybe because gyukatsu itself is a dish you grill and eat piece by piece, we naturally ended up eating slowly haha.

Ichigyu Wonju menu: sirloin gyukatsu at 19,500 won

What my boyfriend and I ordered this time was the sirloin gyukatsu at ₩19,500 × 2 — we both ordered the same thing 🙋🏻‍♀️🙋🏻‍♂️ The sirloin gyukatsu is Ichigyu's signature dish, sirloin gyukatsu served with a house sauce, though I personally prefer dipping mine in salt.

How does the sirloin gyukatsu taste grilled piece by piece?

When it first arrived, the inside was still pink, so you cook it a little more on the grill to your taste. Personally I prefer meat that's lightly seared on the outside but still juicy inside rather than fully well-done, so instead of putting a bunch of pieces on at once, I put on two or three at a time and ate them right away.

Once you put it on the grill it starts sizzling, and honestly it's such a small thing but it just looks so delicious haha. The batter outside was crispy and the sirloin inside was much more tender than I expected — I thought "I'm glad I came for gyukatsu!"

Salt or wasabi? Eating the gyukatsu your own way

The sirloin has such a distinct savory flavor that it was delicious even eaten plain without any sauce. Dipping it lightly in the sauce that comes with it adds a salty note that goes really well with rice, and my boyfriend's favorite combo was a little wasabi on top! I was team salt 💚 there's a reason I came here for gyukatsu... 🥹 haha. The wasabi brought out the sirloin's savory flavor while cutting through any richness in between, so it stayed enjoyable all the way through without getting heavy.

Ichigyu gyukatsu grilled in melted butter

Another fun part of Ichigyu's gyukatsu is that it's not just grilled plain on the burner — you melt butter and grill the cutlet in it!

Grilling it on the pan once the butter had melted definitely brought out a rich, savory aroma — it felt totally different from eating it plain!

Personally, rather than grilling everything in butter from the start, I'd recommend trying it plain first → then in butter → then with wasabi → then dipped in sauce, eating each piece a different way...!!

Is Ichigyu Wonju worth it? Final verdict on this Wonju restaurant

If you want gyukatsu in Wonju, Ichigyu Wonju is worth a visit at least once! The sirloin was especially tender and savory, so the gyukatsu itself was satisfying, and there's real enjoyment in grilling each piece yourself on the mini grill — it made for a meal that stuck with me more than just eating a plain meal would.

• Anyone looking for a good gyukatsu restaurant in Wonju
• Anyone looking for a date spot in Musil-dong
• Anyone looking for a place to eat near Lotte Cinema
• Anyone who loves tender sirloin they can grill themselves

is who I'd recommend this to :) I think I'll come back with my boyfriend next time I'm craving gyukatsu again... 🥹💗 If you've been searching for a Wonju restaurant or a Musil-dong restaurant, give Ichigyu's sirloin gyukatsu a try!