No-wait after-work pork cutlet sets near Yongsan Station: Onjeong

Where is Onjeong Gyeongyang Sikdang, Yongsan branch?

Yongsan Donkatsu Onjeong Gyeongyang Sikdang, Yongsan branch is a Korean-style pork cutlet restaurant at 341 Baekbeom-ro, Building B, 1F, Unit 107, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, between Namyeong Station and Yongsan Station. Hours are 11:00–21:00, closed every Monday, with a break time from 15:00 to 16:30.

These days I'm at peak eating-out mode haha, and I had a reason to swing by Yongsan Station after work, so while wondering what to eat for dinner nearby I got a craving for pork cutlet and headed to Yongsan Donkatsu Onjeong Gyeongyang Sikdang. It's between Namyeong Station and Yongsan Station so you have to walk a bit, but it's not too far and totally worth the walk!!

Yongsan Donkatsu Onjeong Gyeongyang Sikdang

Is there a wait in the evening, and what is the dining room like?

I visited during dinner time and about 4 tables were eating, but I was able to get seated with no wait at all!

The interior was clean, the AC was blasting, and it was just the right spot for a meal. There were also a lot of solo seats, so it seemed like a good lunch spot for office workers nearby!!

Tables came in 4-person, 2-person, and solo sizes, so it seemed nice that you could sit comfortably based on your group size!!

What we ordered at Onjeong and what it cost

• Udon + spicy pork cutlet set ₩15,000
• Cold soba + classic pork cutlet set ₩14,500

Just eating pork cutlet alone felt a little lacking, and I wanted noodles too, so this time I went all in and ordered two different set menus to share.

To cut to the conclusion, if you like Korean-style pork cutlet, this is a place where you'll feel pretty at home and comfortable eating!!

The free rice and side dish self bar

There's also a self bar in the restaurant where you can grab rice and side dishes yourself!! If you need a refill of rice or vegetables, you can just help yourself without feeling self-conscious, which was nice!!

How does the spicy pork cutlet and udon set for 15,000 won taste?

What I was most curious about at Onjeong's Yongsan branch this time was the spicy pork cutlet. Instead of the usual sweet sauce you get with Korean-style pork cutlet, it comes with a spicy sauce, which definitely cut the greasiness and made me keep eating.

The cutlet itself is the thin Korean-style type with a crispy fried texture, and adding the spicy sauce on top of that gives it a whole different combo?! If you find plain pork cutlet a bit bland, the spicy version will feel a lot more exciting!

That said, it's not so spicy you can't eat it — it's more on the side of cutting through the richness of the cutlet.

Eating pork cutlet non-stop can get a little heavy, but having some broth in between resets your palate each time! If you want both pork cutlet and noodles, this kind of set combo is definitely a good pick. The noodles have a chewy bite that feels like fresh udon haha.

The cold soba and classic pork cutlet set for 14,500 won

On the first bite, the crispy cutlet came with that distinctive sweet Korean-style sauce, and eating it alongside the cool cold soba (buckwheat noodles) made the whole combo feel really clean.

This place in particular isn't the type that goes for a thick, juicy cutlet — it's more the style that's familiar to people who like thin, crispy old-school Korean-style pork cutlet.

Especially on a hot day, I feel like cold soba would definitely be the more appealing choice over warm udon.

And I think you can't talk about Korean-style pork cutlet without the soup. Starting with the warm soup served before the meal, then the cutlet, salad, and bread — eating it all together brought back memories of the giant pork cutlet I used to get at old Gimbap Cheonguk restaurants, haha.

The menu itself isn't overwhelming or greasy, so being able to eat pork cutlet and noodles together makes it a solid lunch recommendation.

Verdict: is Onjeong worth the price?

Considering what a lunch meal costs in Seoul these days, it's hard to call it super cheap, but factoring in getting pork cutlet and noodles together in one set, plus soup and sides, I felt it was a reasonable price for a full meal! Above all, being able to grab extra rice and side dishes at the self bar was a quietly nice touch.

• Crispy thin pork cutlet
• Old-school Korean-style flavor
• Pork cutlet + udon/cold soba combo
• Rice and side dish self bar
• Good for solo dining or a simple lunch

If that's what you're looking for, I think it's worth a visit! Personally, next time I'd probably pick cold soba + classic pork cutlet depending on the weather, or udon + spicy pork cutlet on a day I'm craving something spicy.

If you're around Yongsan Station or Hyochang Park Station looking for lunch and craving pork cutlet, and want noodles on the side without it feeling too heavy, it's totally worth putting on the shortlist.