Jongno restaurant date set: gyukatsu and omurice at Ichigyu

Ichigyu Gwanghwamun Branch for a Gwanghwamun date

I had such a delicious meal at Ichigyu Gwanghwamun Branch while on a date in Jongno-gu! It was my first time around here, so I didn't know much about it, but there were so many restaurants gathered in the basement of the building? It was really interesting! Once we went in, everyone was a couple on a date—there weren't any groups of just men, haha. Let me introduce Ichigyu Gwanghwamun Branch, which has both the atmosphere and the food going for it~

Location, parking, and hours

• 2 hours of free parking at Le Meilleur Jongno Town
• Daily 11:00–21:30
• Break time 15:00–17:00
• Last order 20:30

What is the interior like at Ichigyu Gwanghwamun Branch?

It was easy to find as soon as we came down the escalator.

They even had Catchtable, probably because it gets busy on weekdays!

There were about nine tables, and they were all four-seat tables.

The interior was spacious, so it didn't feel cramped at all. It was a pretty, well-organized space. What I really loved here was that the songs playing were exactly like my own playlist. The J-pop playlist was so good!

Each table had its own little charcoal grill.

Sirloin gyukatsu and hambak omurice set

We ordered Set Menu No. 2. It included sirloin gyukatsu (Japanese-style beef cutlet), hambak omurice (hamburger steak omelet rice), and two drinks. Looking around at the other couples, they had all ordered the same thing too, haha. I do like beef, but I can't eat a lot because it gets rich, so I chose the set with hambak omurice.

Just a heads-up: they give you complimentary fried shrimp if you write a receipt review!

There was also a guide to enjoying Ichigyu even more: top it with grillable cheese or thinly sliced mochi! You can take part in this as well as the fried-shrimp event, so make sure you do!

Grilled gyukatsu and moist omurice

It took about 10 minutes for the food to come out!

First they brought us something like a little jar, and it turned out to be rice!

The rice was fluffy and there was such a huge amount that I couldn't finish it! Maybe big eaters could manage it...!

My boyfriend said he wanted beer too, so we ordered one more! It was broad daylight, so we just got a small one.

Before the food came out, they lit the grill for us. I think they preheated it so we could start eating right away.

Ta-da~~~ Doesn't it look so delicious? I wondered whether chili sauce would be a strange match with gyukatsu, but it went together surprisingly well. Add wasabi too, and it was seriously a perfect combination!

The omurice looked so good too, right? It looked like the kind of omurice where you cut down the middle and the egg softly covers the fried rice, so we tried it too! The inside was really moist~~ The fried rice was delicious as well, so I recommend this one!

They give you butter too, and it's delicious if you put on a small amount, let it melt, and then grill the meat! I mindlessly put mine on for about 10 seconds and ate basically raw meat...! If you're reading this, please make sure to cook it through... haha.

Ta-da~~ We demolished it in no time. I'm on a diet, so I had only a tiny bit of rice... haha.

Recommended for dining out and dates in Gwanghwamun

This is a great place to come for a date in Gwanghwamun! Most of the guests were couples, and I think it works well as a dining-out option too. A set in the ₩30,000 range isn't overly expensive, so it's lovely for setting the mood. Above all, the food was delicious, so I want to come back. The interior was neat and hygienic too, so I really recommend it! If you have an occasion to dine out near Gwanghwamun, I recommend Ichigyu Gwanghwamun Branch!