Gwanghwamun gyukatsu restaurant, Naver-booked weekend lunch: Ichigyu

Hi everyone! It's Seonyeong 💗 Today I'm bringing you my review of "Ichigyu Gwanghwamun Branch," which is known as a gyukatsu (breaded beef cutlet) hotspot near Jonggak Station!

Where Ichigyu Gwanghwamun Branch is and when it opens

Ichigyu Gwanghwamun Branch sits exactly halfway between Gwanghwamun Station and Jonggak Station, in unit B123 on the basement level of Lemeilleur Jongno Town. It's an easy walk from either station. Always stuck on where to eat lunch in Gwanghwamun, right?

• 🕰️ Hours: Daily 11:00 - 21:30 (break time 15:00 - 17:00 / last order 20:30)
• 📍 Address: B1, B123, Lemeilleur Jongno Town, 19 Jongno, Jongno-gu, Seoul (roughly midway between Gwanghwamun and Jonggak stations)
• 🅿️ Parking: Free 2-hour parking registration available inside the Lemeilleur Jongno Town building
• ✅ Note: Closed for Chuseok holiday Sept 24 (Thu) - Sept 25 (Fri)

How busy Ichigyu Gwanghwamun Branch gets on a weekend

Since it's a neighborhood full of offices, I figured weekends would be quiet, but that was totally wrong. The whole time I was eating, people kept coming in nonstop. I guess that just shows how well-known it already is as a gyukatsu spot near Jonggak Station. ૮₍ ៸៸•⩊•៸៸ ₎ა

Booking on Naver Reservation to skip the wait

Luckily there were plenty of tables inside, so there was no wait. And since Naver Reservation was available, I booked ahead! For lunch in Gwanghwamun, I highly recommend making a reservation first, haha.

What we ordered and what it cost: 50,000 won for two

At Ichigyu Gwanghwamun Branch we ordered two basic sirloin gyukatsu and one cold soba & fried shrimp, coming to ₩50,000 total. The set menu is so substantial it also looks like a great pick for a gyukatsu date in Gwanghwamun ♡ Here's exactly what we ordered!

Sirloin gyukatsu (basic) - ₩19,500 x 2 / Cold soba & fried shrimp - ₩11,000 = ₩50,000

The rice comes out in a pretty little pot. It's served with a grill already set up, and just seeing it got my expectations way up!!

Amazing, right?!!!!!!!!!!!! With the gyukatsu, cold soba, and fried shrimp all laid out, the spread looked insane. Having so much delicious-looking food on the table made me so happy..( ៸៸ › ⩊ ‹ ៸៸)♡

Sirloin gyukatsu grilled with Isigny butter

The gyukatsu at Ichigyu Gwanghwamun Branch is cooked on a tabletop grill slathered with plenty of butter. They use Isigny butter, and the moment that aroma rose up I was already drooling.. expensive butter really is the best ദി ᷇ᵕ ᷆ )♡

How the cold soba and fried shrimp tasted

The cold soba had a slightly firmer texture than I expected. But the broth soaked into the noodles so well that it was seriously delicious! Just the right amount of salty-sweet, perfect for refreshing your palate again and again..☆ The fried shrimp came as a whole shrimp fried in one piece, and it was so crispy and tasty!

Can you see how thick the gyukatsu is!!! It's noticeably thicker than at other gyukatsu places, so you actually get that beefy aroma and it feels almost like eating a steak. Grilled with butter, it was incredibly tender and melted in my mouth.

Once it's grilled to a nice golden brown, just dip it into the brown sauce that comes with it! The more butter you use, the more evenly it cooks without burning (｡´⌣` ,,) (I actually burned mine a little at first, oops lol)

If you're looking for a good Japanese restaurant near Jonggak Station or trying to decide on lunch in Gwanghwamun, I think this is worth keeping in mind! The gyukatsu especially is so thick and tender, you really should try it ʕ ˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶ʔ⊃⊂ʕ˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶ ʔ

Is Ichigyu Gwanghwamun Branch worth it?

• ✅ A go-to gyukatsu spot near Jonggak Station — busy all weekend even though the area is full of offices
• ✅ No wait worries thanks to easy Naver Reservation booking
• ✅ Thick gyukatsu paired with cold soba, more than good enough for a gyukatsu date in Gwanghwamun