Mapo Station gyukatsu: 5pm weekend dinner & poached egg, Gyudo

This is Gyudo, a gyukatsu spot near Mapo Station that I visited last weekend. Of all the gyukatsu places I've tried, it had the most upscale and pleasant atmosphere. It's so clean and tidy that lots of couples and families were dining there. I did an opening-time run for dinner, arriving right when the weekend break time ends. 🍀

Location and Hours of Gyudo Mapo Gongdeok Main Branch

Premium Gyukatsu Gyudo Mapo Gongdeok Main Branch (프리미엄 규카츠 규도 마포공덕 본점) is at B1 Unit 138, Obelisk APT Shopping Arcade, 33 Mapo-daero, Mapo-gu, Seoul. It's open 11:30 - 21:00 with a break from 15:00 to 17:00. It's right in front of Mapo Station, so it's super convenient for subway commuters.

There were plenty of seats on a weekend evening, but I got the feeling lunchtime gets pretty crowded! Location, atmosphere and taste are all good, so I bet it's popular. 🔥

Is Gyudo Clean, With No Smell or Slippery Floors?

Yes. There were no slippery floors or meat smell at Gyudo Mapo Gongdeok Main Branch. Some gyukatsu places have greasy floors or a haze of meat smell, but Gyudo had none of that and felt pleasant. The staff seem to take good care of it.

First Visit Order: Gyukatsu Set for 2 + Pollock Roe + Drink Set

Gyudo's signature dishes are three: gyukatsu, yakiniku and nikumabushi. Since it was our first visit, we picked the gyukatsu set from the signature menu. We ordered the gyukatsu set for two + pollock roe + drink set ✔️

The tableware setup was very neat 💙 Since the gyukatsu set comes with pot rice, there was even a flake topping to sprinkle over it. It feels like the owner really knows food.. I've never been to a place this thoughtful, haha.

The drinks included in the set came out first,

What Comes in Gyudo's Gyukatsu Set, and How Big Is It?

Gyudo's gyukatsu set comes with meat, vegetables and soup alongside pot rice, so it's definitely filling. Once the set was laid out, there was plenty of meat, and the vegetables, soup and rice were all generous.

Poached Egg and Pumpkin Pot Rice

The gyukatsu set comes with a poached egg, and thanks to it I didn't get tired of the gyukatsu easily. The egg seemed to cut the greasiness of the cutlet.

As for the pot rice, what can I say.. It had sweet pumpkin in it, so it was nutty and sweet. Cooked in a pot, it was hot and delicious!

Bonito Broth for the Scorched Rice

For the scorched rice (nurungji) from the pot rice, you can choose from three broths, and I picked bonito. I'm so curious about the tonkotsu broth... would it be like gukbap (rice soup)? 🫣

They neatly poured in the bonito broth and put the lid on for the scorched rice.

Pollock Roe and Gamtae Seaweed in the Set

The nice thing about Gyudo's set is that you can get pollock roe too at a low price. The gamtae (seaweed) balances the salty roe 〰️ and the roe goes well with both the rice and the gyukatsu. If two of you go, I highly recommend trying it!

Gyudo Gyukatsu Taste: Juicy Meat and Thin Batter

Once the grill plate heats up, they put the gyukatsu on.

Kyaaa, the looks are exploding 💙 Gyudo's gyukatsu had juicy meat and a thin batter, and it was delicious. The batter itself is a bit oily, so it paired well with the mild meat. To think there's a place like this among the restaurants near Mapo Station..

The wasabi wasn't plain fresh wasabi either, it was seasoned somehow! Maybe that's why it tasted much better than wasabi elsewhere.

Gyudo's Review Event Shrimp Fry: One Per Person

This is the shrimp fry I got from Gyudo's review event.. 🍤 The review event is available per person, so my companion Mandu-ssi and I each wrote a receipt review. The fry is tasty, but the shrimp chips under the fried shrimp are the real kick, hahahaha.

How far do the blessings of gyukatsu go.. 💦

A Walk Along Mapo Bridge After Eating at Gyudo

It was a protein-packed healthy meal, which I hadn't had in a while. I usually leave rice behind at restaurants, but at Gyudo I cleaned out the whole bowl. The gyukatsu set itself is so good that you finish quickly.

Scorched rice finished too 💫 After eating like this, walking along Mapo Bridge helped digestion and counted as exercise~ It was perfect for a date. If you're looking for a restaurant near Mapo Station, try Gyudo's gyukatsu and then take a walk on the bridge!