Seoul Station Japanese restaurant for a buttery gyukatsu date: Ichigyu

My girlfriend came to visit Seoul recently, so we enjoyed a Seoul date for 2 nights and 3 days for the first time in ages. After eating, playing, and wandering around, it was suddenly our last day! We were planning to see the movie Obsession in Myeong-dong, so we left our luggage near Seoul Station and went to Ichigyu Seoul Station Branch for gyukatsu!

Gyukatsu (breaded beef cutlet) is a menu item Roro really loves, but we have not had many chances to eat it on dates. So, let me tell you how this time went.

Ichigyu Seoul Station Branch location and parking

Paid parking is available on B2 of the same building!

The LG Seoul Station Building basement food court

Ichigyu Seoul Station Branch is in the basement of the LG Seoul Station Building.

At first, the building was so large that I wondered where the restaurant could be.

But once we went inside and downstairs, it was easy to find in the food court.

A calm dining room with individual braziers

The restaurant had a wood-toned interior reminiscent of a Japanese eatery.

Every table had its own small brazier for grilling gyukatsu yourself. The overall atmosphere was clean and calm, so it was nice for the two of us to have a meal.

A huge whole cut of meat was hanging by the entrance. It looked like real meat, but since it was not in a refrigerator, I suspect it was a model. (These things have a much bigger presence than you would think, haha.)

Set 1 with gyukatsu and drinks

The signature gyukatsu and steki set meals cost ₩19,500 for the regular size and ₩32,000 for the double. There were also plenty of meal options, including hamburger steak omurice, steki-don (steak rice bowl), and teppan chopped steak. There were some slightly unusual choices too, such as cold soba with shrimp tempura and Napolitan yakisoba.

We ordered Set 1, which includes two gyukatsu and two drinks. It was ₩42,000, discounted from ₩45,000! Now, shall we properly get into the gyukatsu?

As soon as we ordered, a large individual brazier was set on each table. Rather than grilling all the gyukatsu at once, you place one or two pieces on at a time and cook them to your preferred doneness.

I also thought it was so clever that they served the rice in something like a tiny rice cooker, so you could help yourself!

Then, shortly after, the gyukatsu set for two we ordered arrived!

It was a fairly generous spread, with gyukatsu, rice, soup, cabbage, and several sauces and sides. Above all, that vivid rosy-red cross-section of the gyukatsu was exactly right, wasn't it?

Gyukatsu grilled to your preferred doneness in Isigny butter

What made Ichigyu a little different from other gyukatsu places, though, was the butter. First, you melt the French Isigny butter served with the meal on the hot cast-iron griddle.

From the moment the butter started sizzling and its nutty aroma rose up, it was already a work of art!

Then you simply put the gyukatsu on one piece at a time and grill it to your taste.

Rather than cooking it all the way through, I liked it best when some pink remained inside, as in the photo. That is when both the pleasantly chewy texture and the juices are at their best!

The coating was crisp, while the meat inside was incredibly tender and moist; grilling it in butter really brought out its nutty flavor.

I have had gyukatsu from time to time this year, but personally, Ichigyu was the best I have had. Definitely one of Seoul Station's good restaurants!

It was delicious on its own, but dipping it in sauce or adding a little salt gave it a different character too.

My favorite combination was definitely a little salt and wasabi on top! The wasabi freshened up the rich nuttiness of the butter, so I did not get tired of it even as I kept eating.

How was it for a Seoul Station date meal?

If you are craving gyukatsu near Seoul Station, Ichigyu Seoul Station Branch is worth stopping by! I liked that you can grill it yourself and enjoy it at your preferred doneness. In particular, the nutty flavor and moist texture of the butter-grilled gyukatsu were very impressive.

Both my girlfriend and I were happy with it, and personally, it was the best gyukatsu I ate this year. (Compared with another chain I had tried that was just expensive and disappointing, this was heaven...) I would recommend it to anyone looking for a hearty meal while on a date near Seoul Station or before or after taking the KTX!