After-work tonkatsu dinner for 3 in Pangyo, ₩49,000: Katsu Shokudo

On a day when I was craving something hearty and crispy after work — Japanese-style tonkatsu — I heard about a place across from Hyundai Department Store Pangyo that's known for its yuzu-aged tonkatsu, so my friends and I, three of us, went to check it out for dinner ourselves. It's close to the station and has plenty of parking support, so it's a really convenient meeting spot with no hassle. Let me walk you through the charm of the three menus we ordered and give you my honest tasting notes.

Where is Katsu Shokudo Pangyo Main Branch, and how does parking work?

It's located on the basement level of Alphadom Tower, a 2-minute walk from exit 3 of Pangyo Station, and parking there gives you up to 3 hours free.

What three people ordered at Katsu Shokudo, and what it cost

Kimchi katsu nabe (kimchi hot pot with pork cutlet) ₩16,000, hire katsu (fillet cutlet) set ₩18,000 and rosu katsu (loin cutlet) ₩15,000 — three of us enjoyed a hearty meal for ₩49,000 total.

The best way to eat tonkatsu here: pink salt, fresh wasabi and sauce

With meat aged low-temperature in yuzu, the cleanest and most flavorful way is to add a little Himalayan pink salt and yuzu-wasabi on top of the katsu itself.

Finding Alphadom Tower and the Blue Ribbon storefront

The restaurant sits on the basement level of Alphadom Tower, about a 2-minute walk from exit 3 of Pangyo Station on the Sinbundang Line. It's right across from Hyundai Department Store Pangyo, so you can walk over through the underground passage before or after shopping no matter the weather. Walking down the corridor, the neat, sleek wood-toned exterior and the Katsu Shokudo sign caught my eye right away.

On the clear glass door was a Blue Ribbon Survey sticker marking seven consecutive years of selection, from 2020 to 2026. Alongside it was a Coca-Cola Red Ribbon good-restaurant certification, which really conveyed the depth of experience behind this handmade katsu specialist in Pangyo. It's open weekdays from 11:30am to 9:30pm and weekends until 9pm, so you can enjoy either a relaxed lunch or dinner.

It's hard to find generous parking support in central Pangyo, but here you get up to 3 hours free at the Alphadom Tower basement. Whether you drive or take transit, the access is excellent, making it a perfect spot for Pangyo office workers or a date.

Inside Katsu Shokudo Pangyo: seating and thoughtful touches

The moment we opened the door and stepped inside, a clever wall decoration of red roses caught my eye first. Reading the phrase playing on 'tenderloin, sirloin, and sincerity,' my friends and I laughed — oh, nice rhyme — as we walked past feeling good.

Stepping further into the hall, the tidy, comfortable dining space came into view all at once. Along one wall, bar counter seats are set up for solo diners, making it a great spot for solo dining in Pangyo too. Above the open kitchen was a neon sign reading 'Yuzu-aged Katsu Shokudo.' Every seat has tablet ordering, and there are thoughtfully provided baby chairs for families, so it seemed like a good place to bring kids too.

In the center of the hall and along the walls, 4- and 6-person wooden tables were spaced out generously, making it comfortable to linger. The tables were spacious enough for easy dining, and we could chat with our group without feeling crowded by other diners. As the evening peak approached, the hall gradually filled with commuters heading home from work and couples on dates, buzzing with energy.

In the rattan basket on each table, alongside napkins and Himalayan pink salt, the owner had even stocked hair ties and dental floss — a warm, thoughtful touch.

Tablet ordering at Katsu Shokudo: 49,000 won for three

Sitting down, we browsed the tablet menu screen, which had a wide range of great-value set menus and à la carte dishes. Next to the counter was a nostalgic prize-draw board for customers who leave a Naver receipt review, giving away drinks or dessert — a nice bit of extra fun.

The three of us each picked our favorite from the signature menus. We chose kimchi katsu nabe (₩16,000), hire katsu set (₩18,000) and rosu katsu (₩15,000), which came to ₩49,000 total for three.

What I really liked was that, if you order one set menu per person, rice, cabbage salad and warm soup are all refilled for free.

What else is on the Katsu Shokudo tablet menu

On one side of the screen was a detailed guide to enjoying Katsu Shokudo's tonkatsu, which I read closely while waiting for the food. There were also plenty of hearty lunch options like savory curry and rice bowls. The mixed katsu platter, letting you try both loin and fillet, along with the filling set menus, looked really substantial too.

There was a wide range to choose from, all the way to crispy cheese katsu loaded with cheese and spicy hot-pot nabe dishes in an earthenware bowl.

Cool slushy cold soba, warm udon sets, and refreshing drinks were all neatly presented too, making it easy to choose. Every menu item had a mouthwatering real photo on the tablet, so even on a first visit it was easy to pick something to your taste.

Spicy kimchi katsu nabe and rosu katsu (pork loin cutlet)

Before long, our neatly plated orders came out one by one. First was the kimchi katsu nabe, bubbling away in its earthenware pot, a mouthwatering deep red that made me hungry just looking at it. Next to it, the rosu katsu — a thick, golden-fried loin cutlet — came served alongside rich Japanese-style curry, looking very filling.

Once all three of our orders were laid out, the table was packed edge to edge. Taking a spoonful of the kimchi katsu nabe, I could tell right away it was truly a standout dish. Sweet, spicy and rich at once, the broth spread through my mouth, and the spicy stock had soaked moistly between the layers of katsu. This kimchi nabe broth instantly cut through the richness that can build up from eating just katsu, so we never got tired of it and enjoyed it thoroughly to the last bite.

Yuzu-aged hire katsu and chilled cold soba

The main dish I tried was the thick hire katsu with cold soba set. A pale pink, juicy fillet cutlet and cold soba noodles topped with slushy ice were served together generously in a big bowl.

Thanks to the patented low-temperature yuzu-aging method, the fillet had no gamey smell and was moist, melting softly in the mouth. Following the instructions on the guide, I added a touch of pink salt and fresh wasabi and took a bite — the savory natural juices of the meat blended subtly with the yuzu aroma, and the combination with Himalayan pink salt and fresh wasabi was excellent. Scooping up the icy-cold soba noodles, dipping them lightly in wasabi and slurping them down felt like it washed away all the richness cleanly.

The crisp cabbage salad, drizzled generously with yuzu dressing, was so refreshing that I shamelessly went back for two more bowls, haha.

Clean plates and three hours of free parking: the verdict

Chopsticks kept moving without pause, and before we knew it, all three of us had cleaned our bowls right down to the bottom. Not a single piece of meat was left, and the tray shot of the rice, broth and salad all emptied out really showed how much we enjoyed the meal.

Near the entrance, a self-service parking registration tablet and an information banner for customers were displayed clearly and easy to spot.

After a satisfying meal, on our way out I entered my license plate number on the parking tablet by the entrance and finished registering for free parking myself, no trouble at all. It registered 2 hours free, and apparently it can go up to 3 hours. The convenient transit access, generous parking, and the excellent combination of yuzu-aged katsu with the spicy kimchi nabe are the kind of thing that will stick pleasantly in my memory for a long time. Whenever I think of a crispy-outside, juicy-inside tonkatsu spot in Pangyo, this is a place I'd want to return to — a really satisfying dinner with friends.

Tips for visiting Katsu Shokudo Pangyo Main Branch

• Enter your license plate number yourself on the tablet in front of the store on the basement level of Alphadom Tower after eating to get up to 3 hours free parking
• Order one menu per person to get unlimited refills on rice, cabbage salad and soup, so you can eat until you're full