Solo tonkatsu lunch in Suyu, Seoul: loin katsu set at Katsu Shokudou

Katsu Shokudou Suyu location and hours: solo tonkatsu by Suyu Station

Let me tell you about a great Japanese tonkatsu spot for solo dining near Suyu Station! It's Katsu Shokudou Suyu.

📍Location: 1st floor, unit 114, Episode Suyu838, 315 Dobong-ro, Gangbuk-gu, Seoul — 1-minute walk from Suyu Station Exit 5 ⏰Hours: 11:10 AM–9:00 PM, last order 8:30 PM 🅿️Parking: 1 hour free at the Episode Suyu838 building parking lot

Exterior and how to get to Katsu Shokudou Suyu

Head into the 1st floor of Episode Suyu838, the building with the KFC and Starbucks near Suyu Station Exit 5. There are two entrances, but just follow the standing sign toward the corner of the 1st floor.

Inside Katsu Shokudou Suyu: counter seats for solo diners and prepaid meal tickets

There were customers throughout so I couldn't capture the whole place, but true to its reputation as a Suyu solo-dining spot, there were bar-table dachi seats,

and 2- and 4-person tables too. Note that they sell prepaid meal tickets at a discount for nearby office workers and residents.

I was even more excited to hear Katsu Shokudou is a Blue Ribbon-listed tonkatsu spot with a patent for low-temperature yuzu aging.

What's on the menu at Katsu Shokudou Suyu?

You order through the tablet at each table. Japanese-style tonkatsu (돈카츠) is the main draw, but there's a wide range of Japanese dishes too — kimchi katsu nabe, kimchi udon, shrimp katsu, cheese katsu, hire katsu (tenderloin katsu), loin katsu, katsudon, curry, udon, soba, and more. There are also small side dishes to sample a bit of everything, plus full set meals, making it a perfect spot for solo diners who want to try several things.

How to eat the tonkatsu, plus free rice, salad and curry refills

They recommended tasting the tonkatsu on its own first, then with Himalayan pink salt, and finally topped with yuzu wasabi. And with one menu item ordered per person, rice, salad and curry are refilled for free — such a nice touch!

Himalayan pink salt, shichimi, wet wipes and utensils are all in the drawer beside the table. Just a tip — you have to flip the pink salt grinder over and grind it! From someone who kept shaking it wondering why nothing was coming out.

Loin katsu set: how tender was the pork loin cutlet?

I was curious about the hire katsu too, but it was sold out, so I went with the loin katsu set today. And since I was curious about the curry, I also ordered a mini curry.

The loin katsu came out neatly plated, and it already looked delicious.

The pork loin had a savory texture and, whether it was thanks to good aging, it was tender rather than tough. Loin katsu this tender?! I was impressed, and impressed again.

The cabbage salad with a refreshing dressing, the crunchy pickled radish, and the jalapeño yuzu wasabi and tonkatsu sauce all paired perfectly with the tonkatsu.

Dipping it into the Himalayan pink salt really brought out the savory texture of the meat and its flavor came alive — delicious. The breading was crisp and not greasy at all, so it was plenty satisfying with just a dip of salt.

Dipping it into the rich, demi-glace-style tonkatsu sauce gave it a whole different flavor. Great to eat together with rice!

With the set menu you can choose between mini udon and mini cold soba, and I went with the soba! (Reason: it was way too hot, phew.) I mixed it up with the icy tsuyu dipping sauce, grated radish, chopped scallion and wasabi, and slurped it down, and

it was sharp and cool — the kind of taste that blows the summer heat right away.

Is the mini curry worth adding?

Personally, I like having curry alongside Japanese tonkatsu.

The curry was simmered down nicely, good with rice or with the tonkatsu, so even eating alone I'd definitely recommend ordering the Katsu Shokudou mini curry.

A big can of cider with a cup of ice

I wanted a beer, but skipped it since it was lunchtime and ordered a cider instead — and it came with a nice cold cup of ice, a thoughtful touch that made lunch at Katsu Shokudou even better..♡

If you're looking for a great Japanese tonkatsu spot for solo dining near Suyu Station, I recommend Katsu Shokudou Suyu! It's been a while since I had such a satisfying tonkatsu, and I'll be back to try other menu items.