Weekday dinner sirloin gyukatsu with fried shrimp side: Ichigyu Seoul

It was a weekday evening with no particular plans, but I felt like treating myself to a proper meal alone. Passing by Seoul Station, I stopped in at Ichigyu Seoul Station Branch.

The exterior of Ichigyu near Seoul Station exit 10

Ichigyu is about a 5-minute walk from Seoul Station exit 10. You head down to the basement level of the LG Seoul Station Building. It's a pretty convenient spot when you've got a bit of extra time before a train, or if you're on a work trip and want a solid solo meal.

What really catches your eye from outside is a whole cut of beef hanging from the ceiling in full view — it made me stop and take a second look before even walking in.

A casual dining space in warm wood tones with tabletop grills

Inside, the wood-toned tables and chairs gave the whole place a relaxed feel. There's a hand-written-style menu signboard on the wall, and each table comes with its own individual grill.

Maybe because it was a weekday evening, it wasn't crowded at all, so I could sit down right away with no wait.

What I ordered and how much it cost

For this visit I ordered the sirloin gyukatsu set for 19,500 won, a karaage and fried shrimp side for 7,000 won, and a cola for 3,000 won.

Just so you know, they're running a receipt review event where you get a free fried shrimp.

Sirloin gyukatsu set, cooked medium-rare

Gyukatsu is enjoyed a bit differently from the tonkatsu (pork cutlet) or beef steak you might be used to.

The beef comes lightly fried only on the outside, and the fun part is grilling it yourself on the tabletop stove to your preferred doneness.

When you order gyukatsu, it arrives with just the surface lightly fried, and each person grills it themselves at the table to their liking.

The breading on the outside is deep brown and crispy, while the inside, once cut, reveals a vivid pink-red color — a clear contrast between the crunchy shell and the raw center.

Melting the Isigny butter little by little

I added the Isigny butter in small amounts onto the grill plate, letting it sizzle and melt together with the meat — it kept things from tasting greasy while adding a subtle, nutty richness that really brought out the flavor.

I grilled mine just lightly, to about medium-rare — crispy outside with a soft, red-tinged center still intact. The breading itself was crunchy enough to make a noise when I bit into it, and the meat inside had a nice textured bite with visible grain.

Three pieces on the grill at a time wasn't enough for me, so I just piled on more, haha.

It just looked so tempting~

Comparing the three sauces

Three sauces were provided — steak sauce, wasabi, and salt — so I tried dipping into each in turn. The steak sauce was salty and rich, the wasabi cut through the richness with a sharp kick, and the salt let the natural flavor of the beef shine through most plainly.

The karaage and fried shrimp side dish

Karaage (Japanese fried chicken) and fried shrimp came out together with shrimp chips. You just dip them in the mayonnaise sauce served alongside.

The karaage was crispy on the outside with juicy meat inside,

and the fried shrimp had a thin coating too, so it didn't feel greasy at all.

Visitor information for Ichigyu Seoul Station Branch

• Location: B1, Unit B116, 98 Huam-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul (LG Seoul Station Building)
• Access: 1-minute walk from Seoul Station exit 10
• Hours: 11:00–21:30 (break time 15:00–17:00)
• Last order: 14:00, 20:30

Since gyukatsu is a dish you grill yourself at the table, it can get tough if you cook it too long. I'd recommend keeping it short, medium-rare, like I did.

Who I'd recommend Ichigyu Seoul Station to

• Anyone looking for a quick, satisfying meal near Seoul Station
• Anyone who enjoys grilling meat themselves to their preferred doneness
• Anyone who wants a lighter, leaner take on gyukatsu