Seoul Station Japanese restaurant, two 19,500-won dishes split

Why Ichigyu Seoul Station Branch is worth a visit, in three lines

• If you're looking for a Japanese restaurant near Seoul Station with a clean atmosphere and genuinely good food, this is a safe bet.
• The sirloin steaki and gyukatsu, grilled to your own doneness on a personal brazier, pair beautifully with the house sauce and butter aroma.
• The tidy table setting and cozy space make it a great fit for a Seoul Station date or a special lunch.

Lately, whenever I have plans near Seoul Station, I spend a good while wondering where to go. Chain restaurants and ordinary Korean BBQ places feel too predictable, but a heavy course meal can feel like too much for some days. Then, while running errands near Seoul Station with a friend, I stumbled onto a place that let us enjoy a clean but special meal. That's the restaurant I'm introducing today: Ichigyu Seoul Station Branch.

How the Catch Table waitlist works at Ichigyu Seoul Station Branch

At Ichigyu Seoul Station Branch, you join the waitlist by entering your phone number into the Catch Table kiosk at the entrance. When your turn comes up, you'll get a call or KakaoTalk notification from the restaurant's mobile number (starting with 010), so be sure to keep an eye on your phone.

• When you get the call, you need to confirm you're coming so your spot is honored in order.
• If you don't answer, your spot is automatically cancelled.
• Groups of five or more may not be seated all together.

Walking in, I was hit with the cozy yet stylish mood typical of a good Japanese restaurant. The place has already become word-of-mouth famous as a lunch spot for Seoul Station office workers and a date course for couples, and the interior was buzzing with energy.

For group visits, calling ahead lets the staff kindly walk you through whether a reservation is possible, so keep that in mind if you're planning to come with a larger party. Unfortunately, pets aren't allowed, and outside alcohol or corkage isn't supported either — worth checking in advance. Parking is available on the building's B2 level, but remember it's paid: ₩1,000 for the first 10 minutes and ₩1,000 for every additional 10 minutes.

What two people ordered: sirloin steak set and Ichigyu gyukatsu

After sitting down and reading through the menu carefully, we settled on the restaurant's two signature main dishes after some deliberation: the 'Steaki Jeongsik (sirloin)' (₩19,500), featuring savory sirloin paired with Ichigyu's special sauce known for its garlicky, tangy kick, and the 'Ichigyu Gyukatsu' (₩19,500), made with the same appealing sirloin. Zero Pay and various simple payment systems are all supported, which made checkout easy too.

Not long after ordering, a neatly arranged spread arrived on a tray. The beautiful marbling and mouthwatering visuals drew an instant 'wow.' Lunch last order is at 2:00 PM and dinner last order is at 8:30 PM, so time your visit accordingly — you all know the drill by now, right?

Ichigyu Seoul Station Branch address, hours and parking

• Address: 98 Huam-ro, B1 B116, Jung-gu, Seoul, South Korea (631 Namdaemunno 5(o)-ga)
• Hours: Lunch last order by 2:00 PM / dinner last order by 8:30 PM / close at 9:30 PM
• Parking: paid parking available on the building's B2 level, ₩1,000 for the first 10 minutes / ₩1,000 per additional 10 minutes (₩6,000 per hour)
• Reservations available (group bookings require a phone call to the restaurant)
• Wi-Fi available, separate men's/women's restrooms, disabled parking spaces, Zero Pay and simple payment accepted
• No pets allowed and no corkage (outside alcohol not permitted)

Grilling with Isigny butter on your own personal brazier

Ichigyu Seoul Station Branch uses Isigny Butter, a premium French butter. Since each table gets one serving per person to melt right on the personal brazier before grilling the gyukatsu or steaki, you get to enjoy that deep, rich, buttery flavor at full strength.

With the personal braziers heating up at every table, we started grilling in earnest. Being able to adjust doneness for both the gyukatsu and the steaki jeongsik to our own taste was the biggest draw.

The moment the meat hit the hot grill, the sizzle and the aroma of butter and meat juices filled the air around us. Ichigyu Seoul Station Branch's 'Sirloin Steaki Jeongsik' (₩19,500) lets you enjoy sirloin's rich flavor in a clean, straightforward way. Melting French Isigny butter on the personal brazier and grilling it to your own preferred doneness is half the fun.

Paired with the house special sauce, carrying subtle garlic notes and a tangy edge, it delivers deep flavor and a soft texture — no wonder it's popular for lunch or date-night meals.

What does the 19,500-won sirloin steak set taste like?

The 'Steaki Jeongsik (sirloin)' we tried first looked clean and had an outstanding tender texture.

The moment it hit my mouth, the sirloin practically melted, and the subtly garlicky, sweet-and-sour Ichigyu special sauce cut right through any richness.

Ichigyu gyukatsu: crisp crust, tender beef inside

Ichigyu Seoul Station Branch's 'Ichigyu Gyukatsu' comes crispy on the outside and rare-tender on the inside — a treat for both the eyes and the mouth. At ₩19,500, it comes as a neat full set, and each table's personal brazier lets you melt French Isigny butter and grill it to your liking.

Add the subtly garlicky, tangy special sauce or a little wasabi, and the sirloin's savory flavor really comes alive — a menu item everyone, young or old, can enjoy.

Next up, the 'Ichigyu Gyukatsu' had a crispy fried coating outside with a rare, moist center inside — a quick pass on the brazier gave us the textbook crispy-outside, tender-inside experience.

The juices and savory flavor that burst out with every bite were amazing. My friend and I shared bites of both dishes, and since the two menus had such different characters, going back and forth between them was a lot of fun.

Is Ichigyu Seoul Station Branch good for a date or a lunch meetup?

Overall, this was a satisfying meal that didn't fall short anywhere, from the food quality to the restaurant's clean atmosphere. If you're planning a nice date near Seoul Station, or just want to fill your day with a delicious lunch, I can confidently recommend giving this place a visit.