Ilwon-dong tonkatsu with 4 dipping sauces and katsudon: Sioldon

I've reviewed so many katsu and tonkatsu places already, but…

FRIDAY, the trend-hunter who's serious about tonkatsu

I found a great katsu spot while visiting Ilwon-dong in Seoul, so let me introduce it!

Where is Sioldon Ilwon Branch? Hours, parking and directions

Sioldon Ilwon Branch is a tonkatsu restaurant located at 12 Ilwon-ro 9-gil, 1F, Gangnam-gu, Seoul (Ilwon-dong 687-4). It's a 10-minute walk from both Daecheong Station and Ilwon Station on Line 3, and there's free parking for up to 2 cars in front of the restaurant.

• Hours: Mon–Sun 11:00–20:00 (break time 14:30–17:00)
• Address: Ilwon-dong 687-4 / 12 Ilwon-ro 9-gil, 1F, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
• 10-min walk from Daecheong Station & Ilwon Station, Line 3
• Parking: Free in front of the restaurant (up to 2 cars)

I went right after break time ended, but there were still quite a few customers at the tables. As someone who's serious about katsu restaurants, I was really excited.

An Ilwon-dong tonkatsu favorite near Samsung Seoul Hospital

Just a heads up, they're temporarily closed on the 25th🙌🏻

A useful tip! If you book through Naver Reservations before entering, you can get seated faster.

72 hours of aging for premium tonkatsu

The tables have partitions like this, so it's comfortable to eat here even with family.

What's on the menu at Sioldon Ilwon Branch

Sioldon's value set, sirloin katsu set, tenderloin katsu set, cheese katsu set, special sirloin katsu set + special cut, mixed katsu set, katsudon, kimchi nabe, cheese nabe, cheongyang curry udon, tomato curry udon, cold soba. The menu was really varied. It seems like a good place to come with kids too.

You can add extra menu items.

For drinks, there's Sprite, zero-sugar cola, and beer.

The value set prices were so reasonable👍🏻

Cooking starts as soon as you order and takes about 15 minutes; ₩2,000 discount for takeout

Four ways to eat tonkatsu: salt, wasabi, mustard and katsu sauce

The tables at Sioldon Ilwon Branch have a guide on the recommended order for eating tonkatsu, so I read it carefully. It starts with no sauce at all, then Himalayan salt, then wasabi or whole grain mustard, then tonkatsu sauce.

• 1. Taste the katsu plain first, no sauce, to enjoy its flavor and texture
• 2. Try it dipped in Himalayan salt
• 3. Add a little wasabi or whole grain mustard on top
• 4. Mix mustard into the tonkatsu sauce and dip it in

If you need more sauce, the staff kindly bring you more.

Tasting the tenderloin katsu set and katsudon

We ordered 1 tenderloin katsu set and 1 katsudon. As a tenderloin katsu lover, I got the tenderloin katsu, and my companion wanted a rice dish so they ordered the katsudon.

Sioldon's ultra-tender tenderloin katsu, made from domestic Korean pork cross-aged for 72 hours and cured with nuruk salt

How can the meat be this tender while the outside stays this crispy‼️ My katsu was so good that two pieces got stolen from me.

Extra savory thanks to clean frying oil

And the salad dressing was so good it passed the test too. The pairing with salad matters a lot for tonkatsu.

With wasabi, whole grain mustard, katsu sauce, and Himalayan salt all on the table, dipping and tasting was fun.

Sioldon's deep-flavored katsudon, crispy tonkatsu generously topped with a sweet and salty special sauce

I couldn't lose out — I tried the katsudon too.

With the katsudon, the meat didn't seem to be tenderloin, but it was still tender, and even though the onions could easily have made it greasy, it kept tasting good bite after bite.

Who will enjoy Sioldon Ilwon Branch most

• ✅ Visiting Seoul and looking for a great tonkatsu restaurant
• ✅ Looking for a good restaurant in Ilwon-dong, Seoul
• ✅ Looking for a friendly restaurant in Ilwon-dong, Seoul
• ✅ Looking for a restaurant near Samsung Seoul Hospital

It was a day that made me so envious of people living in Ilwon-dong, Seoul. If I lived there, I think I'd definitely visit once a week haha.