Weekday couple's lunch tonkatsu in Seongnae-dong, Seoul: Riae Premium

I love tonkatsu (breaded pork cutlet) so much that I've written quite a few tonkatsu posts already haha. I heard about a famous tonkatsu spot near Olympic Park, so my husband and I went for lunch.

Even though we visited around 1pm on a weekday, the place was pretty packed. I went in expecting a casual neighborhood tonkatsu spot, but the menu lineup and the quality of the tonkatsu were better than I expected! For anyone looking for tonkatsu near Olympic Park, here's my honest review.

Where is Riae Premium Olympic Park Branch? Hours and parking

Riae Premium Tonkatsu is located in Seongnae-dong near Olympic Park, at 46 Seongnae-ro 18-gil, Gangdong-gu, Seoul. Hours are 11:00-20:00 with a break time from 15:00-16:00, and parking is available for 2 cars, so if you're driving, be sure to call ahead first.

The interior overall felt clean and had a mood that was neither too casual nor too formal, so it seemed fine for a date or a family meal.

Riae Premium's tonkatsu menu: what should two people order?

The Riae Premium tonkatsu menu had more variety than I expected. As a Japanese-style tonkatsu specialist, they had sirloin, tenderloin, and several other tonkatsu options, plus side dishes like cold soba and udon.

Since there were two of us, we ordered the signature premium top sirloin tonkatsu, the fillet mignon tenderloin katsu, and cold soba. We each got our own tonkatsu, but if you're visiting solo, ordering a sirloin+tenderloin combo and splitting it would probably work well too.

And when the food arrived... wow, the spread here is huge haha.

Signature premium top sirloin tonkatsu and its five sauces

The sirloin tonkatsu I was most looking forward to! As soon as it arrived, I loved the visual of the table filling up. The sauce lineup was also pretty diverse. Tonkatsu brown sauce, truffle oil sauce, lemon soy sauce, wasabi, and salt all came out together, so I could try the tonkatsu with a variety of different sauces.

I've written a lot of tonkatsu posts because I'm genuinely serious about tonkatsu haha. So whenever I eat it, I tend to pay attention to the batter, the meat texture, and how it pairs with sauce. But here, the sirloin... it's genuinely delicious.

The sirloin itself was tasty, and the batter matched the meat really well. The batter wasn't too heavy or greasy, and it went well with the savory flavor of the sirloin.

What I especially liked was the sauces! With so many options, switching between them instead of sticking to one meant it never got boring until the end. The truffle oil sauce had a subtle, pleasant aroma, and the lemon soy sauce was great when I wanted something cleaner. Dipping it in wasabi or salt was also delicious.

Personally, even when tonkatsu tastes good, I sometimes end up leaving some because it gets greasy, but here, maybe thanks to the sauce combination, I ate it all without feeling greasy. One of the more satisfying tonkatsu experiences I've had near Olympic Park!

Fillet mignon tenderloin katsu, best dipped in salt

Next up, Riae Premium's fillet mignon tenderloin katsu! Tenderloin is a slightly softer cut than sirloin. It's genuinely soft ❗️ While the sirloin has a savory, chewy bite, the tenderloin is much softer and juicier, so you can pick based on your preference.

I personally prefer sirloin, but my husband said the tenderloin was delicious too. I'd recommend it to anyone who likes soft tenderloin tonkatsu, and this one really pairs well with salt, so make sure to dip it in salt at least once!

Cold soba with the wasabi added separately

And you can't skip cold soba when eating tonkatsu~ Riae Premium's cold soba doesn't come with wasabi mixed in by default, so I added a bit of wasabi myself, and it turned out to be a real treat!

I put the noodles on a spoon and added a little extra wasabi on top, and it was delicious haha.

One bite of tonkatsu, one bite of cold soba — the combo was great for cutting through the richness. If we'd ordered two tonkatsu dishes alone, it might have gotten a bit greasy, but adding the cold soba made it just right.

Is Riae Premium near Olympic Park worth a return visit?

I'm pretty picky about tonkatsu since I love it so much, and I really liked the sirloin at Riae Premium. The savory sirloin paired well with the crispy batter, and being able to pick from several sauces meant I never got tired of it until the very end.

Beyond the food, the interior was clean and the staff were friendly, which made the visit even more satisfying. It's a place that works well for a date, and it's also a solid option for a family meal or a quick lunch nearby. Next time I visit, I'd like to try some of their other tonkatsu menu items!