# Seomyeon solo dining at a tonkatsu bar counter: Katsu Gimseondo

- By Eunbyul (https://superchart.com/en/@namcheon-table-slip/)
- Written Sep 23, 2026
- Local places › Restaurants › Busanjin, Busan
- Sponsored: This visit was sponsored by the business.
- English edition: https://superchart.com/en/@namcheon-table-slip/seomyeon-katsu-kimseondo-solo-bar-seat/
- Also in: [한국어](https://superchart.com/ko/@namcheon-table-slip/seomyeon-katsu-kimseondo-solo-bar-seat/index.md)

## In short

Katsu Gimseondo is a Japanese-style tonkatsu restaurant on the ground floor of Seojeon-ro 47beon-gil in Seomyeon, Busan, with a long bar counter facing the kitchen that makes eating alone easy. The Gimseondo set costs 17,000 won and arrives as one plate of sirloin and tenderloin cutlets, fried shrimp and a soft-boiled fried egg, served here with a katsu sando and a side curry. Katsu Gimseondo is walkable from Seomyeon, Jeonpo and Bujeon stations, and it is worth remembering for a proper meal on your own.

## Good to know

- **Sirloin tonkatsu set**: 13,000 won
- **Tenderloin tonkatsu set**: 14,000 won
- **Half-and-half tonkatsu set**: 15,000 won
- **Gimseondo set**: 17,000 won (sirloin, tenderloin, fried shrimp, soft-boiled fried egg)
- **Other menu items**: Gabri sirloin set, katsu sando, side curry, fried shrimp, potato croquette
- **Seating**: Window tables for 2 and 4, long bar counter facing the kitchen
- **Location**: 16 Seojeon-ro 47beon-gil, Busanjin-gu, Busan, 1st floor (near Seomyeon, Jeonpo and Bujeon stations)
- **Price reference**: ₩13,000 ≈ $9.6 · ₩14,000 ≈ $10.5 · ₩15,000 ≈ $11 (2026-09-23)

*as written by the visitor on Sep 23, 2026*

## A Seomyeon tonkatsu restaurant that works for eating alone

![Representative image of the tonkatsu set at Katsu Gimseondo](https://img.superchart.com/images/seomyeon-katsu-kimseondo-solo-bar-seat/seomyeon-katsu-kimseondo-solo-bar-seat-01-7dz7l-900.webp)

![Full spread of the Gimseondo set at Katsu Gimseondo in Seomyeon](https://img.superchart.com/images/seomyeon-katsu-kimseondo-solo-bar-seat/seomyeon-katsu-kimseondo-solo-bar-seat-02-1sxpu-1200.webp)

Whenever I end up eating alone in Seomyeon, choosing a menu is oddly tricky. Crowded barbecue places feel awkward to walk into solo, but I also get tired of eating gukbap or bunsik every single time. This time I wanted a proper meal, so I searched around for a good Seomyeon tonkatsu restaurant and landed on Katsu Gimseondo. There are so many Japanese-style tonkatsu places these days that it takes something special to stick in your memory, but this place had a genuinely fun menu — from a set that lets you try both sirloin and tenderloin in one go, to a katsu sando. What really stood out was the generous bar seating, which made it comfortable to eat alone, just like I was doing that day.

![Walking to Katsu Gimseondo along the Seojeon-ro alley in Seomyeon](https://img.superchart.com/images/seomyeon-katsu-kimseondo-solo-bar-seat/seomyeon-katsu-kimseondo-solo-bar-seat-03-afezz-900.webp)

## Where Katsu Gimseondo is and what it looks like

Katsu Gimseondo sits in a spot that's easy to reach not just from Seomyeon Station but also Jeonpo and Bujeon stations. It felt like a convenient place to stop for a meal whether you're moving between the three stations or dropping by before or after an appointment in Seomyeon. A lot of Seomyeon tonkatsu restaurants hide in narrow alleys tucked deep inside the busy area, but this one is on the ground floor with large glass windows across the front, so you can see the interior even as you walk by. The exterior itself isn't flashy — just a bright sign that reads 'Katsu Gimseondo' cleanly, giving off exactly the vibe of a modern Japanese-style tonkatsu specialist.

![Ground floor exterior with the Katsu Gimseondo sign visible](https://img.superchart.com/images/seomyeon-katsu-kimseondo-solo-bar-seat/seomyeon-katsu-kimseondo-solo-bar-seat-04-smwru-900.webp)

![Entrance of Katsu Gimseondo with the interior visible through full glass windows](https://img.superchart.com/images/seomyeon-katsu-kimseondo-solo-bar-seat/seomyeon-katsu-kimseondo-solo-bar-seat-05-uxbkl-900.webp)

## The bar counter built for solo diners

Once inside, the seating layout was more solid than I expected. Window seats for two and four people are set along one side, while a long bar seat facing the kitchen runs along the inner wall. I felt this bar seating was one of Katsu Gimseondo's real strengths. If you're looking for a Seomyeon tonkatsu restaurant that's good for eating alone, this kind of seating setup matters more than you'd think. Personally, when I eat alone, taking up an entire table makes me self-conscious, but here I could just sit at the bar and eat comfortably.

![Bar seats and tables inside Katsu Gimseondo](https://img.superchart.com/images/seomyeon-katsu-kimseondo-solo-bar-seat/seomyeon-katsu-kimseondo-solo-bar-seat-06-1daow-900.webp)

## Katsu Gimseondo menu and prices

The menu is simpler than I expected. There's a sirloin tonkatsu set for ₩13,000, a tenderloin tonkatsu set for ₩14,000, and a mixed set with both sirloin and tenderloin for ₩15,000. What I ordered, the Gimseondo set, is ₩17,000. It combines sirloin, tenderloin, fried shrimp, and a soft fried egg, making it a solid choice if it's your first visit and you want to try a bit of everything. Beyond that, there's a gabri sirloin set, katsu sando, side curry, fried shrimp, and potato croquette as side dishes. A Seomyeon tonkatsu restaurant doesn't have to stop at a few types of cutlet — here you also get katsu sando and curry to round out the choices.

![Table spread of the Gimseondo set, katsu sando and side curry](https://img.superchart.com/images/seomyeon-katsu-kimseondo-solo-bar-seat/seomyeon-katsu-kimseondo-solo-bar-seat-07-d3gp0-900.webp)

## How generous one plate is for one person

That day I ordered the Gimseondo set as my main, along with a katsu sando, side curry, and a drink. Once everything was laid out together, it was quite the spread for one person. The large plate had sirloin and tenderloin cutlets neatly arranged with long fried shrimp beside them, and a generous pile of shredded cabbage on the side. Rice, soup, pickles, and a few different sauces were all neatly arranged on the tray, so it looked like a proper full meal from the start. A soft fried egg sat right on top of the rice, keeping the whole spread from feeling plain. With the katsu sando placed next to it, it felt almost like a full tonkatsu course. I've been to plenty of Seomyeon tonkatsu restaurants, but being able to compare several different types of fried food within a single menu item was something I really liked.

![Plate of the Gimseondo set with sirloin, tenderloin and fried shrimp](https://img.superchart.com/images/seomyeon-katsu-kimseondo-solo-bar-seat/seomyeon-katsu-kimseondo-solo-bar-seat-08-1xpk3-900.webp)

![A plate of tonkatsu served with shredded cabbage](https://img.superchart.com/images/seomyeon-katsu-kimseondo-solo-bar-seat/seomyeon-katsu-kimseondo-solo-bar-seat-09-kg0jl-900.webp)

![Cross-section of the pink-tinged tenderloin cutlet](https://img.superchart.com/images/seomyeon-katsu-kimseondo-solo-bar-seat/seomyeon-katsu-kimseondo-solo-bar-seat-10-142uz-664.webp)

![A piece of tenderloin cutlet topped with salt and fresh wasabi](https://img.superchart.com/images/seomyeon-katsu-kimseondo-solo-bar-seat/seomyeon-katsu-kimseondo-solo-bar-seat-11-1wosh-563.webp)

![Sirloin tonkatsu served with tonkatsu sauce](https://img.superchart.com/images/seomyeon-katsu-kimseondo-solo-bar-seat/seomyeon-katsu-kimseondo-solo-bar-seat-12-rmwz3-647.webp)

![Long fried shrimp with dipping sauce on the side](https://img.superchart.com/images/seomyeon-katsu-kimseondo-solo-bar-seat/seomyeon-katsu-kimseondo-solo-bar-seat-13-vpknj-568.webp)

### Gimseondo set, 17,000 won: sirloin, tenderloin, shrimp and fried egg

The Gimseondo set I ordered let me try sirloin, tenderloin, fried shrimp, and soft fried egg all at once, which made it a good pick for a first visit. The tenderloin had a thick cut with a faint pink tinge showing just how moist it was cooked — biting into it, there was no toughness at all, just tenderness, and a light touch of salt or fresh wasabi brought out the clean flavor of the meat itself. The sirloin had noticeably more chew and nuttiness than the tenderloin, and the fat running through it had a good depth of flavor that paired well with a fairly hearty character when dipped in tonkatsu sauce. The long fried shrimp had a crispy coating with a springy texture inside, and dipping it in the accompanying sauce gave a nice change of pace between bites of tonkatsu. Personally, the soft fried egg was the most fun — breaking it open over the rice and mixing it in spread the yolk's rich, smooth flavor through every bite.

![Soft fried egg placed on top of the rice](https://img.superchart.com/images/seomyeon-katsu-kimseondo-solo-bar-seat/seomyeon-katsu-kimseondo-solo-bar-seat-14-1d2z9-676.webp)

![Rice mixed with the broken yolk of the soft fried egg](https://img.superchart.com/images/seomyeon-katsu-kimseondo-solo-bar-seat/seomyeon-katsu-kimseondo-solo-bar-seat-15-wyeeq-900.webp)

![Cross-section of the katsu sando with a thick cutlet inside](https://img.superchart.com/images/seomyeon-katsu-kimseondo-solo-bar-seat/seomyeon-katsu-kimseondo-solo-bar-seat-16-x7pqh-810.webp)

![Katsu sando cut into easy-to-eat pieces](https://img.superchart.com/images/seomyeon-katsu-kimseondo-solo-bar-seat/seomyeon-katsu-kimseondo-solo-bar-seat-17-16qhf-593.webp)

### Katsu sando: more meat than bread in the cross-section

The katsu sando had way more presence than a typical side dish. It's a fairly thick tonkatsu cutlet sandwiched between slices of white bread, cut into easy-to-eat pieces, and looking at the cross-section, the meat catches your eye before the bread does. You bite through soft bread first and immediately hit the crisp coating and thick meat, which makes it feel quite different from a regular sandwich. With sauce worked in, the sweet-and-savory flavor came through a bit more directly than in the tonkatsu set, and the bread cut through the richness of the meat in a way that kept me reaching for more. The set alone is filling enough, but if two people visit, adding one katsu sando to share seems like a good idea.

![Thick side curry served at Katsu Gimseondo](https://img.superchart.com/images/seomyeon-katsu-kimseondo-solo-bar-seat/seomyeon-katsu-kimseondo-solo-bar-seat-18-1dhkt-900.webp)

![Curry served alongside the tonkatsu set](https://img.superchart.com/images/seomyeon-katsu-kimseondo-solo-bar-seat/seomyeon-katsu-kimseondo-solo-bar-seat-19-17liu-766.webp)

### Side curry: when you want to change the flavor midway

The side curry was exactly what it sounds like — good to have alongside the tonkatsu and rice. Rather than being watery, it had some thickness to it, so a spoonful came off heavy rather than thin. The curry aroma wasn't so strong that it overpowered the meat, which made it a fitting way to change the flavor partway through the set.

> Went in for a tonkatsu and walked out having thoroughly enjoyed the curry and katsu sando too

## Is Katsu Gimseondo a good place to eat alone?

When I look for a good Seomyeon tonkatsu restaurant, what matters most to me is the quality of the tonkatsu itself and how comfortable it is to eat alone — and Katsu Gimseondo satisfied both. The thickly sliced sirloin and tenderloin had clearly distinct textures, and the coating wasn't too thick or greasy, so I never felt overwhelmed by the end. The Gimseondo set in particular, letting you taste sirloin, tenderloin, fried shrimp, and soft fried egg all on one plate, was a great fit for a first-time visitor. Adding the katsu sando or side curry lets you enjoy the tonkatsu in even more ways. Price-wise, it's not exactly a cheap meal, but given the composition and the thickness of the meat, it felt reasonably justified. Above all, it's easy to reach from Seomyeon, Jeonpo, or Bujeon stations, and the long bar seating makes it highly usable as a solo dining spot. It's fine to visit with others and sit at a table, but I think I'll keep thinking of this place when I want a proper solo meal in Seomyeon. Many places billed as Seomyeon tonkatsu restaurants just highlight one cut, either sirloin or tenderloin, but this place let me compare multiple cuts and enjoy the sides alongside them. If you're craving clean Japanese-style tonkatsu in Seomyeon, or looking for a restaurant where you won't feel self-conscious eating alone, it's worth another visit.

## Where it is

- Katsu Gimseondo (카츠김선도)
- 16 Seojeon-ro 47beon-gil, Busanjin-gu, Busan, South Korea, 1st floor
- 부산광역시 부산진구 서전로47번길 16 1층
- 35.1584969, 129.0648729
- Google Maps: https://www.google.com/maps/search/%EC%B9%B4%EC%B8%A0%EA%B9%80%EC%84%A0%EB%8F%84/@35.1584969,129.0648729,17z

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