Seokchon Lake Japanese restaurant sharing udon and mazesoba: Matsumi

I went to Matsumi, a tonkatsu spot in Jamsil!

Hey! It's Happy Sunny =) Yesterday I came to Seoul after a while to hang out with friends! One of my friends lives in Jamsil, so we decided to have dinner near Seokchon Lake and hang out, just the three of us. I suggested this place today, and my friend told me she'd already been here on dates n times — a place worth revisiting! I'm introducing Matsumi today, a tonkatsu spot in Jamsil right in front of Seokchon Ancient Tombs Station!

Where is Matsumi Seokchon Lake Main Branch, and what are the hours and wait?

Matsumi Seokchon Lake Main Branch is on the 1st floor of 262 Baekjegobun-ro, Songpa-gu, Seoul, right in front of Seokchon Ancient Tombs Station. Lunch runs 11:30–15:00, dinner 17:00–21:00, with a break time of 15:00–17:00.

The place isn't that big, so there can be a wait during the lunch peak. Just register with Catch Table outside and wait in the designated waiting area!

Business hours: lunch 11:30–15:00, break time 15:00–17:00, dinner 17:00–21:00, last order 20:30. Check the break time so you don't make a wasted trip!

Inside Matsumi: seating and what's on the table

Inside Matsumi there are solo tables and 2–4 person tables, so it's comfortable whether you're eating alone or coming with three friends. Kelp vinegar, tonkatsu sauce, water, napkins, cups, and utensils are already set on every table.

There were solo tables that are perfectly comfortable for eating alone, as well as 2–4 person tables. We came for dinner rather than lunch, but there were still quite a lot of customers. A little later and we might have had to wait!

Kelp vinegar, tonkatsu sauce, water, napkins, cups, and utensils were set on every table. We were later told the kelp vinegar is meant to be stirred into the mazesoba — the savory kick it adds is seriously amazing. b

On one wall of Matsumi, this Jamsil tonkatsu spot, there's an explanation of what the name means. "Matsu" means pine tree, and "mi" means taste — put together, Matsumi. Like a pine tree that stays green no matter how many years pass, they say they serve flavor that never changes. The owner's mindset is basically the definition of consistency — as a customer, phrases like that really build trust.

Matsumi's menu lineup and how QR ordering works

Matsumi's menu is split into katsu, noodles, mazesoba, and rice bowls, with set menus combining these. You order by scanning the QR code on the table and ordering online, and there's a review event that gives you 2 vegetable croquettes.

The review event running at Matsumi, this Jamsil tonkatsu spot, gives you 2 vegetable croquettes! If you usually like fried food, definitely take part in the review event >,<

Matsumi's menu is broadly split into katsu, noodles, mazesoba, and rice bowls, and there are also set menus that pack these together nicely. A full set felt like too much for us, so we ordered a few different dishes to try one of each and share.

To order, just scan the QR code attached to your table and order online!

After scanning the QR code, every menu item had a photo, and for something like the spicy tonkatsu you could even choose the sauce's spice level, which I liked. My friends can handle spicy food pretty well, but I can't, so ^^;; I went with the basic sauce for the spicy cheddar tonkatsu (even the basic version comes out spicy!). Besides that, we also ordered the spicy tantanmen udon and mazesoba.

Spicy tantanmen udon, mazesoba and cheddar tonkatsu split three ways

What we ordered at Matsumi: spicy tantanmen udon, mazesoba, spicy cheddar tonkatsu, and one zero-sugar cola. For drinks, you could choose an iced cup or a regular cup when ordering.

We also ordered a zero-sugar cola for my friends who say they can't live without soda anymore. You could choose iced cup or regular cup when ordering! The weather's gotten pretty cool lately so a regular cup was fine, but if we'd gotten an iced cup with soda during the scorching summer not long ago, it would've felt like rain after a drought! Anyway, personally I think it's a nice touch when a place offers an iced cup with drink orders ~~ b

Spicy tantanmen udon: spice levels 1–3 and a hangover cure

The first thing to arrive at Matsumi was the spicy tantanmen udon. For an extra ₩500 you can choose spice level 1–3.

The udon noodles were so springy and chewy! They went really well with the deep, spicy bone broth. You can choose spice level 1–3 for an extra ₩500, and it seemed pretty solid as hangover food too. If you had a drink the night before, I'd recommend getting it spicy!

Mazesoba: why the kelp vinegar is the kick

Next up was the mazesoba (brothless mixed noodles), which we ordered because my friend had never tried it before. At this Matsumi in front of Seokchon Ancient Tombs Station, they say they make their special sauce with 27 ingredients using their own method.

Mazesoba is brothless, springy noodles topped with Matsumi's special seasoning, ground meat, and a fresh egg yolk — you just mix the sauce in well. After eating some of it, they explain you should pour in the kelp vinegar prepared on the table with a half turn, and it takes on a whole new flavor. Seriously... the kelp vinegar is the kick. Next time I visit, I think I'll pour the kelp vinegar in from the very start. Totally, totally recommend it!!

Spicy cheddar tonkatsu: how hot is the standard sauce?

Last but not least, the star of the show appears: the spicy cheddar tonkatsu, the standout best menu item at this hot Jamsil tonkatsu spot! I can't eat spicy food, so I chose the basic sauce, and even that was plenty spicy.

The tonkatsu is fried crispy Matsumi's way, then topped with cheddar cheese and their special spicy sauce in a fantastic combination — the visual alone makes it hard to believe it wouldn't taste amazing. As a spice wimp, it felt a bit spicy to me, but that spiciness cut through any greasy heaviness of the tonkatsu, and I ended up finishing it all happily!!!!

Verdict: a handy stop before or after a Seokchon Lake date

Matsumi Seokchon Lake Main Branch is right in front of Seokchon Ancient Tombs Station, making it a great stop before or after a walk around Seokchon Lake. Even during peak time, the staff were friendly and the interior was clean.

Eating through the whole meal, I couldn't help but understand exactly why my friend kept coming back here on dates — Matsumi, this tonkatsu spot in Jamsil! Right in front of Seokchon Ancient Tombs Station, it's a great location whether you have lunch before or after a date around Seokchon Lake. Even during the busy peak time, the staff were kind and the interior was really clean, so this is a place I'd recommend! End of my Matsumi Jamsil tonkatsu review! ❤️🔥