Sinnonhyeon Japanese restaurant chapsteak vs steki-don for 3: Ichigyu
In short
Ichigyu Gangnam Sinnonhyeon Branch is a gyukatsu and hotplate steak restaurant on the second floor of a building three minutes from Exit 4 of Sinnonhyeon Station in Gangnam, Seoul. Three adults came for lunch and ordered one dish each — steki-don (19,500 won), Ichigyu gyukatsu (19,500 won) and hotplate chapsteak (18,000 won) — grilling the beef with butter on individual tabletop braziers. All three plates at Ichigyu were generous and the beef was never tough, making it an easy choice for a work lunch or a date in Gangnam.
Good to know
- Location
- About 3 minutes from Sinnonhyeon Station Exit 4, 2nd floor (stairs or elevator)
- Hours
- Mon–Sun 11:00–21:30
- Parking
- Not available; nearby public parking lot recommended
- Steki-don
- 19,500 won
- Ichigyu gyukatsu
- 19,500 won
- Hotplate chapsteak
- 18,000 won
- What comes with it
- Pickled cabbage, sauces, clear broth soup, butter for grilling, white rice in a separate bowl
- Price reference
- ₩19,500 ≈ $14.5 · ₩18,000 ≈ $13.5 (2026-09-15)
as written by the visitor on Sep 13, 2026
It's near my office so I've gone for business meetings often, and whenever I craved gyukatsu I'd head here — my personal go-to Gangnam Sinnonhyeon date restaurant, Ichigyu.
Beef that's generous in portion and delicious too! Here's my review of the special flavor I got to enjoy in a Japanese-style atmosphere.
Where is Ichigyu Gangnam Sinnonhyeon Branch, and when is it open?
- 🕰️ Hours: Mon–Sun 11:00–21:30
- 🚗 Parking: Not available (recommend using a nearby public parking lot)
- 🎊 Draw: Not only is the meat quality good, but most of the food is tasty and well put together
Located within about 3 minutes of Exit 4 of Sinnonhyeon Station, this Gangnam Sinnonhyeon date restaurant Ichigyu is easy to find.
It's on the 2nd floor, so you can either climb the stairs or take the elevator. The interior has a nice atmosphere for gatherings and meetings too — clean, with a Japanese feel.
Each table has a guide on how to eat the food for maximum enjoyment. Honestly, the meat had better be good...
Lunch order for three: gyukatsu, steki-don and hotplate chapsteak
Ordering Ichigyu gyukatsu, steki-don, and teppan chapsteak!
We visited as three adults and ordered one dish per person. In photo order: steki-don, Ichigyu gyukatsu, and teppan chapsteak.
All three menus came with the same sides aside from the main dish: pickled cabbage, sauce, clear soup, and butter for grilling the meat.
First up, the signature dish of Gangnam Sinnonhyeon date restaurant Ichigyu — steki-don (₩19,500). A special bowl where you grill thick-cut sirloin steak one piece at a time and enjoy it as you go.
Also a signature item, Ichigyu gyukatsu (₩19,500). Savory sirloin cutlet served with Ichigyu's special sauce, known for its garlicky aroma and tangy kick.
Lastly, a dish I tried for the first time — teppan chapsteak (₩18,000). A hearty plate of tender steak grilled on a hot iron plate, paired with fresh vegetables.
Ta-da! The three dishes came out looking almost identical, which made for great photos and easy eating.
White rice is served in a separate container. It was warm and sweet, like it had just been cooked.
Alright, time to add the butter and start grilling!!! You haven't really had gyukatsu until you've seen this grill plate!
Steki-don: grilling the beef one piece at a time on your own brazier
We decided to start with the steki-don. It's thinly sliced sirloin steak, but the portion was huge — filling enough on its own!
The quality looked really good too. It practically dripped with freshness!
As the butter aroma spreads, they grill the sirloin steak for you piece by piece.
You just sizzle it up — and since it's a personal burner, it's hygienic and you can cook it to exactly the doneness you want.
Pop the egg yolk for an even richer, more savory steki-don.
The butter itself was so good that the meat alone tasted great, but piling it onto the rice made it even heartier and richer. Why go all the way to Japan when you can eat like this in Gangnam...
How was the hotplate chapsteak at Ichigyu?
Tender steak grilled on a hot iron plate! Paired with fresh vegetables, it's truly a nostalgic dish.
The steak comes in bite-sized pieces rather than something you have to cut yourself, which made it really easy to eat. Not tough at all, and it had that exact same sauce flavor I remember from childhood. With the grilled vegetables on top, I got my fiber in too!
Ichigyu gyukatsu with its special sauce and wasabi
And now, the star of the show — Ichigyu gyukatsu!
A savory cut of sirloin. Dip it in the special sauce unique to Gangnam Sinnonhyeon date restaurant Ichigyu, known for its garlic aroma and tanginess, and it's game over.
Crispy on the outside, packed with juices inside. Since the outer coating is fried thin, the first bite was incredible. Man, I wanted a beer but held off...
Wasabi is essential here. Pile it on the sweet white rice and you honestly don't need any other side dish. It melts the moment it hits your mouth and disappears in a flash — my number one vanishing dish.
Verdict: Ichigyu Gangnam Sinnonhyeon works for both work lunches and dates
Great meat quality, rice served separately, and truly generous portions at Gangnam Sinnonhyeon date restaurant Ichigyu. The meat wasn't tough, it was tender, and the sauce was so good I scraped my plate clean. No gamey smell at all, and if it feels a bit rich, just add some wasabi!
The atmosphere was clean and the staff were friendly at this Gangnam Sinnonhyeon date restaurant Ichigyu. I felt good the whole time I was eating — it's become my own personal favorite spot.
Where it is
19 Bongeunsa-ro 4-gil, 2nd floor, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea서울특별시 강남구 봉은사로4길 19 2층
