Beef cutlet dinner for two in Isu, Seoul: Hurato Sikdang Isu Branch

This is the story of Hurato Sikdang, an Isu Station spot known for beef sirloin gyukatsu (beef cutlet).

I went into Seoul for the first time in a while and grabbed a good meal with my sibling. We were trying to decide what to eat now that we'd made it all the way to Seoul, and my sibling suddenly said they were craving gyukatsu.

It had also been quite a while since I'd had gyukatsu myself, so I figured it'd taste even better after a long gap, looked it up, and ended up at Hurato Sikdang Isu Branch. Since gyukatsu was the whole point for both of us, we ordered two servings without a second thought — and to cut to the chase, it was really satisfying.

Where is Hurato Sikdang Isu Branch and how do you get there?

Hurato Sikdang Isu Branch, the Isu Station gyukatsu spot, is on the 2nd floor of a building at 6 Sadang-ro 28-gil, Dongjak-gu, Seoul, South Korea. It's an easy walk from Isu Station, so it was convenient for us to reach by public transit while out and about in Seoul. It also seemed like a solid meeting spot for anyone with plans around Isu Station or Sadang.

The 2nd-floor entrance in Isu

Once you head up to the 2nd floor, the entrance to Hurato Sikdang is easy to spot. There's signage near the entrance previewing the signature menu, so we could browse before even stepping inside. The exterior had a clean, understated Japanese-restaurant feel overall — not flashy, but with a distinct touch of Japanese sensibility. We'd already decided on gyukatsu before arriving, so the second we saw the menu board out front, we just wanted to eat even faster.

Inside Hurato Sikdang: interior and table spacing

Once inside, the space was bigger and more pleasant than I expected. The wood-toned interior paired with soft lighting gave the whole place a warm, cozy feel.

The tables weren't packed too close together either, so it was easy to eat and chat with my sibling without feeling cramped or crowded. It seemed like a good spot for friends and also a decent option for a couple's date.

Given how gyukatsu is eaten — slowly grilled piece by piece — I thought it would also be totally fine to come alone.

How to order: the QR code on the table

At Hurato Sikdang, you order by scanning the QR code at your table with your phone. It was convenient not having to flag down staff — you could check the menu and place your order right from your seat.

The menu had gyukatsu along with several rice bowl dishes, Japanese-style omurice, curry, and more. Everything else looked good too, but since we'd come because my sibling wanted gyukatsu, we ordered two servings without any hesitation.

Two servings of gyukatsu: sirloin grilled on the tabletop charcoal grill

After a short wait, the gyukatsu we'd been looking forward to arrived.

The outside was fried to a golden, crispy finish while the inside stayed pink, and it came with a small tabletop grill so you could cook each piece to your own liking.

We put each piece on the grill one at a time, gave it a light sear on both sides, and it was genuinely tender and delicious.

The outside kept its crisp texture while the meat inside was incredibly soft, turning savory with every chew. Best of all, since you grill each bite right before eating it, you could keep eating it warm the whole way through.

Instead of cooking it all at once, we grilled just as much as we were about to eat, so even the very last piece was warm and tasty.

It's tasty plain, but it was also fun mixing in the side dishes and changing up the combinations bite by bite.

Final verdict on dinner for two at Hurato Sikdang Isu Branch

We went because my sibling wanted gyukatsu, and since we both ended up satisfied and I enjoyed it so much, it made this rare trip to Seoul even more fun.

If you're near Isu Station and want tender gyukatsu,

or if you want the fun of grilling it yourself over a mini grill, I'd recommend Hurato Sikdang, the Isu Station gyukatsu spot :)