Sharosu-gil Japanese restaurant, two sirloin sets to share: Izawa

I heard a new gyukatsu place opened in Sharosu-gil, so I went to check it out :)

Where is Izawa Sharosugil Branch, and what are its hours?

Izawa Sharosugil Branch is a gyukatsu specialist 329m from Exit 2 of Seoul National University Station, at 2F, 28 Gwanak-ro 14-gil, Gwanak-gu. It seems fairly new, but it's already got a lot of signed notes on the wall like it's famous?! Seeing that just makes me more excited — is it just me haha.

• 📍 Izawa Sharosugil Branch
• 🏠 2F, 28 Gwanak-ro 14-gil, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• 🚶 329m from Seoul National University Station Exit 2
• ⏰ Weekdays 11:30-21:00 / Weekends 11:30-21:30 (break time 15:00-17:00)
• 📝 Naver Reservation available
• 👥 Group-friendly, pet-friendly

What we ordered at Izawa: the gyukatsu set and the steki set

We ordered the signature gyukatsu set and the steki set first, since those were what I most wanted to try! There were other menu items too and I was a bit torn, but since it was our first visit, we decided to start with the signature dishes 👀 If they're good, we can come back and try the rest haha.

Here's the drinks menu. A lot of people searching for lunch spots near Seoul National University Station probably want something that comes out clean as a set, and this looked good for that. The menu isn't complicated and everything comes as one neat tray, so it seemed easy to swing by for a lunch near the office or a date.

Sirloin gyukatsu grilled tableside over a small brazier

Both the gyukatsu and steki at Izawa Sharosugil Branch use sirloin. Not long after ordering, the food came out fast. The wait wasn't long, so it'd be great to come here when you're hungry haha.

Maybe because both dishes use sirloin, the meat was quite tender. There was almost no chewiness on the first bite, and the texture itself was juicy — more satisfying than I expected.

The gyukatsu in particular comes out only lightly seared on the outside, and you grill it yourself at the table to your liking. Being able to control the doneness myself was the best part.

You only need to cook it a little before it's ready, but why do those few seconds waiting for the meat in front of you feel so long lol. I was so eager to eat that it was almost torturous. Grilling it lightly on both sides made the outside warm and the inside tender — exactly my style.

How much food comes with the gyukatsu set?

When I first saw the portion of meat, I thought 'huh, should I have added more?' But once I ate it together with the rice and side dishes, I ended up pleasantly full by the end! Not so much that you'd leave leftovers, but not so little you'd feel empty afterward either — a solid meal.

Gyukatsu set vs steki set: what's the difference?

The steki set has a similar composition to the gyukatsu set, but comes with one extra sauce, so the spread is slightly different. If you're going with someone, ordering one gyukatsu and one steki to share seems like a great idea.

The white onion sauce and stir-fried kimchi

Of everything, the white sauce was my favorite. It has a somewhat onion-sauce feel to it and paired surprisingly well with the meat. It wasn't too strong, so it didn't overpower the meat's flavor either. The stir-fried kimchi served alongside was also a bit unusual — different from the stir-fried kimchi I usually eat, not salty and a bit tangy, good to eat between bites of meat. Eating meat continuously can get a little greasy, but having this every so often kept my palate feeling clean.

Sesame-sauce cabbage and fresh wasabi

And the cabbage came with a sesame sauce, which I love! Best of all, the cabbage was shredded super thin — totally my taste haha. Perfect to eat alongside the meat now and then. The crunchy texture was still there too, so I kept reaching for it.

I also liked that the wasabi was fresh, grated wasabi. Putting a little on top of the meat cut through the richness and paired really well with the sirloin. After dipping in sauce alone, adding wasabi gave a whole different flavor — I really hope you try this combo too haha.

Grill plate and candle swaps, and the mood inside Izawa

What I quietly appreciated while eating at Izawa Sharosugil Branch was the staff's attentiveness. The grill plate gets dirty fast when you keep cooking meat on it, but they'd check on it and swap it out on their own without us asking, and when the candle burned down, they replaced it right away without us saying anything. Small things individually, but not having to keep flagging down staff during the meal made things way more comfortable than expected. Little details like this really shape how satisfying a meal feels haha. The place overall was pretty tidy too, so it was easy to eat comfortably.

Waiting time and restrooms at Izawa

There was no wait when we went so we got seated right away, but apparently if there's a wait, they give you a mini mori soba or a drink?! With service like that, I feel like I could handle waiting lol.

The restroom is inside the restaurant and fairly clean!

If you're craving a clean, satisfying meat set in Sharosu-gil, or if you're already a gyukatsu fan, this place is worth stopping by. Next time I want to go back and try the other menu items I missed this time haha.