5:30pm weekend walk-in at Izawa, a Yeouido gyukatsu restaurant

📍 Location: 203, 204, 42 Yeouinaru-ro, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul ⏰ Hours: 11:00 – 21:00 🍽️ Ordered: Gyukatsu set for two

I was looking for gyukatsu in Yeouido and ended up at Izawa Yeouido Direct Store. It's on the 2nd floor of Yeouido Jonghap Sangga, right there when you come out of Exit 5 of Yeouido Station, so it wasn't hard to find even on my first visit.

The building itself has tons of restaurants, so I heard weekday lunches can get busy with office workers nearby waiting in line. Worth noting that if you're waiting, you can only be seated once your whole party has arrived!

Where is Izawa Yeouido Direct Store, and is there a wait on weekend afternoons?

Izawa Yeouido Direct Store is on the 2nd floor of the shopping complex right in front of Exit 5 of Yeouido Station. The building was visible the moment I came out of the station, so getting there was genuinely easy. I went around 5:30pm on a weekend, and it wasn't crowded at that hour so I walked in without any wait. As time passed though, customers kept trickling in one by one.

Where to park near Izawa in Yeouido

For parking, the ground-floor lot in the building gives you 1 hour free, while the underground lot is paid. Worth keeping in mind if you're driving.

Inside Izawa: interior and seating

The place wasn't huge, but it actually felt cozy because of that. They have tables from 2-person to 4-person, so it worked well whether you're coming for a date or eating with friends. The overall vibe was clean and comfortable, making it a solid choice as a Yeouido restaurant for a date.

They were also running a receipt review event. Taking part gets you a free drink, which was nice to grab after the meal.

Izawa's menu and the gyukatsu set for two

Izawa has more than just gyukatsu — there were rice bowls and noodle dishes too. They had steak-don, mazesoba, and various ramens, so there was plenty to pick from if you weren't in the mood for gyukatsu that day.

I ordered the gyukatsu set for two that day. When the gyukatsu arrives, they light up the mini grill on the table, and you cook it yourself to your liking — which made eating it more fun.

I especially liked being able to grill it medium, rare, or well-done, whatever suited my taste.

If you're looking for Japanese food near Yeouido Station and want something a bit different, gyukatsu seems like a good option.

How does Izawa's gyukatsu taste with wasabi, salt and sauce?

The gyukatsu was crispy on the outside and juicy inside — genuinely delicious.

The meat itself was tender with plenty of juice, and the outside was fried crisp, so the texture was great too when you bit into it.

I especially liked pairing it with wasabi. The sharp kick of wasabi cut through the slight richness of the gyukatsu, so I kept reaching for more. There was also salt on the table to sprinkle on depending on your taste.

Two sauces were served, one onion-based and one soy-based, so I dipped alternately between the two.

The broth was warm and rich, which went well with the gyukatsu.

The staff checked in on the grill periodically, and whenever the flame went out, they came right over to relight it. That kind of attentiveness made the service feel genuinely thoughtful.

Overall, grilling the gyukatsu myself was fun and the taste was great, so I left satisfied.

If you're searching for a gyukatsu restaurant near Yeouido Station, or a Yeouido restaurant, Yeouido gyukatsu, or a date spot in Yeouido, this place will probably come to mind!