Suwon katsu restaurant with unlimited rice and cold soba: Myeonsikdang

I was trying to decide what to have for lunch and suddenly craved katsu, so I went to Myeonsikdang Mangpo Station, known as a great Japanese restaurant near Mangpo Station haha. It's on the first floor of the Golden Square building — the building is big with a spacious parking lot, so it's easy to park if you drive, and parking registration is good for up to two hours, plenty of time for a relaxed meal. If you're taking public transport, it's right in front of Exit 3 of Mangpo Station, so it's easy to get to. The menu prices are decent too, so it's good for lunch or dinner, and there's a bar table so solo dining is comfortable too!

Where is Myeonsikdang Mangpo Station, and when is it open?

• 📍Location: 102, 1F Golden Square East Wing, 195 Yeongtong-ro, Yeongtong-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
• ⏰Hours: Daily 10:20–21:00 (last order 20:30)
• 🅿️Parking: Available inside the building

Here's an easy way to find Myeonsikdang Mangpo Station! The Golden Square building is split into an East Wing and a West Wing — you want the East Wing! It's on the first floor, so it's easy to spot. There's even a standing sign like this outside. The best part about Myeonsikdang is that if you order one menu item per person, rice is unlimited and free, and if you write a Naver receipt review you even get a free drink. It's a great place to eat until you're full. Apparently this place gets waiting lines because it's such a hit, but we went a bit past lunchtime so we got lucky and walked right in hahaha. Guess it's already a famous spot around Mangpo Station 🤭

They're also running an Instagram event alongside the Naver one~ The steps to join are explained simply. Apparently every Monday they draw a winner for a free single-set meal voucher, so be sure to check the review comments 😆

What's on the menu? Three dishes for two

Here's the menu board at Myeonsikdang Mangpo Station~ There's a wide variety — ramen, pho, soba, udon, rice bowls, and katsu — so it'd be great for a group to order a bunch of different things. We agonized over what to get and ended up ordering mul-bibim soba, demi tenderloin katsu, and mozza cheese katsu!! A lot of the items are under ₩10,000, which is really reasonable given today's prices. There were only two of us, but we ordered three dishes 🤣

Water and side dishes are self-serve! The sides are pickled radish and kimchi, and they were so good we went back for seconds~ The kimchi was finely chopped too, so it was easy to eat.

Inside Myeonsikdang and how the tablet ordering works

There were other customers inside so I couldn't photograph everything, but there are several tables and a cozy atmosphere. Pretty decor pieces are scattered around and the place is clean. To order, you add items to your cart on the tablet and pay.

How does the mul-bibim soba taste?

First up, the mul-bibim soba! The food tends to come out fast, and we were so hungry we inhaled it lol. There's egg on top, and since it's a mul-bibim (water-mixed) style, there's mixing sauce in there too, so it was really delicious. The broth is nice and cool too.

Mozzarella cheese katsu and demi tenderloin katsu

And then the mains — demi tenderloin katsu and mozza cheese katsu. Freshly fried katsu, so it was warm and crispy. Wasabi and pink salt come as accompaniments, and the soup is warm and tasty too. And best of all, the mozza cheese katsu is loaded with cheese, so if you love cheese, you really have to try it.

The demi tenderloin katsu has demi sauce on top, giving the cutlet a crispy-yet-moist feel that was so good~ It seems like a flavor kids would love too haha. The portion is generous and the cutlet is big, so you can eat until you're full. The side salad pairs well with the katsu too.

Who is Myeonsikdang Mangpo Station best for?

Myeonsikdang Mangpo Station was delicious enough that you could tell they use good ingredients! The open kitchen makes it feel clean and trustworthy. Takeout and delivery are also available, so it's good for eating at home too. With such a varied menu, it's great to visit with a partner, family, or friends, and also works well as a lunch or dinner spot for office workers — I recommend it whenever you're craving Japanese food 😆