# No-sauce pork collar katsu in a Yeonnam-dong alley: Katsu Monster

- By Yerin Bang-jo (https://superchart.com/en/@jamsil-two-spoons/)
- Written Sep 21, 2026
- Local places › Restaurants › Mapo, Seoul
- Sponsored: This post was written after receiving a sponsored in-store visit.
- English edition: https://superchart.com/en/@jamsil-two-spoons/katsu-monster-yeonnam-sang-ros-katsu-curry/
- Also in: [한국어](https://superchart.com/ko/@jamsil-two-spoons/katsu-monster-yeonnam-sang-ros-katsu-curry/index.md)

## In short

Katsu Monster Yeonnam Main Branch is a Japanese tonkatsu restaurant tucked down a narrow alley in Yeonnam-dong, Seoul. The sangrosu-katsu, made with gabrisal (pork collar), came with a spicy curry add-on, and its batter was so thin and crisp that it tasted fine eaten plain, with no sauce at all. Salad, rice, kimchi, soup and a dessert snack round out the set, which was almost too much for one adult woman to finish.

## Good to know

- **Menu**: Sangrosu-katsu (gabrisal, pork collar) + spicy curry add-on
- **Set includes**: Salad, rice, kimchi, soup, dessert snack
- **Menu range**: Loin, tenderloin, cheese and other katsu varieties
- **Seating**: Mostly tables for 2–4, solo-friendly seats, open-air beer-garden-style seating too
- **Location**: Down a narrow alley in Yeonnam-dong
- **Branches**: Yeonnam main branch, Yeonsinnae, Myeonmok, Gangdong-gu Office

*as written by the visitor on Sep 21, 2026*

![Featured tonkatsu photo from Katsu Monster Yeonnam Main Branch](https://img.superchart.com/images/katsu-monster-yeonnam-sang-ros-katsu-curry/katsu-monster-yeonnam-sang-ros-katsu-curry-01-1w3nf-900.webp)

I used to think that pretty much every Japanese tonkatsu place these days is good and that quality has leveled up across the board, but a recent visit to a Yeonnam-dong tonkatsu restaurant changed my mind. This is the real deal..! I went to Katsu Monster Yeonnam Main Branch, known for its insanely crispy breading and thick, tender meat.

## Where is Katsu Monster Yeonnam Main Branch in Yeonnam-dong?

![Exterior of Katsu Monster Yeonnam Main Branch in a narrow Yeonnam-dong alley](https://img.superchart.com/images/katsu-monster-yeonnam-sang-ros-katsu-curry/katsu-monster-yeonnam-sang-ros-katsu-curry-02-r5h0y-900.webp)

It's tucked down a really narrow alley in Yeonnam-dong, so even though I'd walked by the area many times, I never noticed a restaurant was here. It's small but has a clean vibe — this is Katsu Monster Yeonnam Main Branch, a Yeonnam-dong tonkatsu spot.

![Outdoor terrace-like seating at Katsu Monster Yeonnam Main Branch](https://img.superchart.com/images/katsu-monster-yeonnam-sang-ros-katsu-curry/katsu-monster-yeonnam-sang-ros-katsu-curry-03-gars8-900.webp)

There's a section that feels like an outdoor terrace seating area (야장), a nice cool and pleasant spot to eat in weather like this. It has a different vibe than the typical Japanese restaurant look, and the hours are long enough to cover breakfast, lunch, dinner and late-night eats.

## What is on the menu at Katsu Monster Yeonnam-dong?

![Katsu Monster menu board with "tonkatsu" written in large letters](https://img.superchart.com/images/katsu-monster-yeonnam-sang-ros-katsu-curry/katsu-monster-yeonnam-sang-ros-katsu-curry-04-1m8yz-900.webp)

As if to emphasize "this isn't sauce-drenched Western-style donkkaseu, it's crispy-fried Japanese tonkatsu," the menu had "tonkatsu" written in huge letters. The menu even had appetizing food photos, which made everything look even tastier. There was a whole lineup of tonkatsu to pick from depending on your taste — loin, fillet, cheese and more.

![Interior table at Katsu Monster Yeonnam Main Branch with utensils and sauce containers](https://img.superchart.com/images/katsu-monster-yeonnam-sang-ros-katsu-curry/katsu-monster-yeonnam-sang-ros-katsu-curry-05-1fbz0-900.webp)

The tables were mostly for 2–4 people, but there were also seats where solo dining was comfortable, and the utensils and sauce containers were spotless. You know that moment at some restaurants when you pick up a sticky sauce container and suddenly lose your appetite? No need to worry about that here.

## Ordering the pork collar sangrosu-katsu with a spicy curry add-on

![Table set with sangrosu-katsu and spicy curry together](https://img.superchart.com/images/katsu-monster-yeonnam-sang-ros-katsu-curry/katsu-monster-yeonnam-sang-ros-katsu-curry-06-4bxey-900.webp)

I ordered the sangrosu-katsu made from gabrisal (pork collar) and added one spicy curry — the portion was way more generous than it looks in photos!

![Full tonkatsu spread with salad, rice, kimchi and soup](https://img.superchart.com/images/katsu-monster-yeonnam-sang-ros-katsu-curry/katsu-monster-yeonnam-sang-ros-katsu-curry-07-1tvtq-1200.webp)

Salad, rice, kimchi, soup and even a dessert snack came out, all really generous — even hungry and as an adult woman, the amount was almost too much to finish, so it should satisfy big eaters too.

![Plate of sangrosu-katsu fried from gabrisal pork collar](https://img.superchart.com/images/katsu-monster-yeonnam-sang-ros-katsu-curry/katsu-monster-yeonnam-sang-ros-katsu-curry-08-130yi-900.webp)

Just look at that gorgeous sangrosu-katsu! I usually go for tenderloin or loin, so I wanted to try the gabrisal cut for a change — it's tender with just the right amount of fat, a whole different kind of appeal.

Up close it looks like this — the juices are just glistening and moist~

### How crispy is the katsu eaten with no sauce at all?

![Cross-section of sangrosu-katsu with thin breading and thick meat](https://img.superchart.com/images/katsu-monster-yeonnam-sang-ros-katsu-curry/katsu-monster-yeonnam-sang-ros-katsu-curry-09-12b1a-900.webp)

The breading is super thin while the meat is thick — I tried it plain first, with no sauce, and the breading was insanely crispy. (Watch out for scraping the roof of your mouth!)

![A piece of sangrosu-katsu topped with wasabi](https://img.superchart.com/images/katsu-monster-yeonnam-sang-ros-katsu-curry/katsu-monster-yeonnam-sang-ros-katsu-curry-10-escur-966.webp)

On the fattier part, I tried a bit of wasabi on top, and the savory flavor combined with the sharp aroma was delicious.

![A piece of sangrosu-katsu picked up with chopsticks](https://img.superchart.com/images/katsu-monster-yeonnam-sang-ros-katsu-curry/katsu-monster-yeonnam-sang-ros-katsu-curry-11-g4ktd-900.webp)

![Close-up of tender lean meat inside the sangrosu-katsu](https://img.superchart.com/images/katsu-monster-yeonnam-sang-ros-katsu-curry/katsu-monster-yeonnam-sang-ros-katsu-curry-12-12l4y-966.webp)

Even so, there was no greasiness or gamey smell at all, and the lean part was really tender too, so while dipping it in sauce works fine, you could genuinely eat it plain without any issue. It's not easy for Japanese tonkatsu to pull this off — it felt like it had been a while since I had genuinely delicious tonkatsu.

## Was the spicy curry add-on worth it?

![A bowl of the added spicy curry](https://img.superchart.com/images/katsu-monster-yeonnam-sang-ros-katsu-curry/katsu-monster-yeonnam-sang-ros-katsu-curry-13-fw8s2-966.webp)

Curry — another dish that comes to mind with Japanese food! I ordered it to go with the rice, and even though it's labeled spicy curry, I liked that the heat wasn't too strong.

![Rich spicy curry served over rice](https://img.superchart.com/images/katsu-monster-yeonnam-sang-ros-katsu-curry/katsu-monster-yeonnam-sang-ros-katsu-curry-14-1mkyi-900.webp)

![Scooping curry together with rice](https://img.superchart.com/images/katsu-monster-yeonnam-sang-ros-katsu-curry/katsu-monster-yeonnam-sang-ros-katsu-curry-15-1a3o3-966.webp)

The curry was simmered until rich with a great aroma, good with rice, and it somehow also worked as a palate cleanser.

![The last piece of sangrosu-katsu paired with spicy curry](https://img.superchart.com/images/katsu-monster-yeonnam-sang-ros-katsu-curry/katsu-monster-yeonnam-sang-ros-katsu-curry-16-1h5z5-900.webp)

I finished the last piece off with curry, a tasty ending! Katsu Monster gave off the full feeling of properly fried Japanese tonkatsu — Yeonnam is the main branch, and there are also branches in Yeonsinnae, Myeonmok and Gangdong-gu Office, so I'd like to check out the other locations next time.

## Where it is

- Katsu Monster Yeonnam Main Branch (카츠몬스터 연남본점)
- 1F 101, 42-6 Donggyo-ro 38-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea
- 서울특별시 마포구 동교로38길 42-6 1층 101호 카츠몬스터 연남본점
- 37.5610304, 126.9255679
- Google Maps: https://www.google.com/maps/search/%EC%B9%B4%EC%B8%A0%EB%AA%AC%EC%8A%A4%ED%84%B0%20%EC%97%B0%EB%82%A8%EB%B3%B8%EC%A0%90/@37.5610304,126.9255679,17z

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