Yeouido gyukatsu restaurant that sells out early: Izawa in Seoul
In short
Izawa Yeouido Direct Store is a gyukatsu (Japanese-style breaded beef cutlet) restaurant on the 2nd floor of Yeouido Jonghap Sangga, right in front of Exit 5 of Yeouido Station in Seoul. On this second visit to Izawa, the gyukatsu set for two cost 36,000 won and came with a mini brazier for grilling each piece, eaten with wasabi, soy sauce and sesame sauce; on the way out, Izawa was already closing because the beef had sold out, even during posted opening hours. For dinner at Izawa, arriving before 8pm is the safest plan.
Good to know
- Menu & price
- Gyukatsu set for two, 36,000 won
- Location
- 71m from Yeouido Station Exit 5, 2nd floor of Yeouido Jonghap Sangga
- Parking
- 1 hour free at the ground-level lot in the alley past Exit 5
- Visit tip
- Closes early once the beef sells out; for dinner, arrive before 8pm
- Set includes
- Rice and soup, kkakdugi (diced radish kimchi) side, one mini brazier shared by two
as written by the visitor on Sep 17, 2026
Izawa Yeouido Direct Store: a second visit to this Yeouido gyukatsu specialist
Today's story is about a visit to Izawa Yeouido Direct Store, a great spot for a date in Yeouido. I've eaten at the Seoul National University Station branch before, and this was my second time at the Yeouido location.
Do you all like gyukatsu (Japanese-style breaded beef cutlet)? I know an incredibly delicious gyukatsu place — and that's Izawa~~ That's how good the gyukatsu is here.
How to find Izawa at Yeouido Station Exit 5, plus 1 hour of free parking
Izawa Yeouido Direct Store is 71m from Yeouido Station Exit 5, located on the 2nd floor of Yeouido Jonghap Sangga right outside the exit. It's easy to reach by subway or bus, and if you drive, there's a ground-level parking lot in the alley past Exit 5 that gives 1 hour free — so it's fine to come by car too. Walk into the building entrance and up to the 2nd floor, and you'll see Izawa right away.
There's a menu board right at the entrance, so you can check what's available before going in. Simple, but full of delicious options.
Inside Izawa: wood-tone interior and window seats for solo meals or dates
Inside, Izawa Yeouido Direct Store feels like a clean, calm modern Japanese restaurant. The cozy yet tidy wood-tone interior with pretty lighting made it great for a date, too.
The window-side tables are perfect for solo dining, right? Eating alone with a night view is the best.
Looking near the air conditioner and along the wall, there were quite a lot of celebrity autographs — and it looked like Lim Young-woong had visited more than once. A restaurant approved by Lim Young-woong...★
What the gyukatsu set for two at 36,000 won includes
Izawa, said to be the originator of gyukatsu! Through their signature menu, said to be Korea's first gyukatsu, they describe it as a gyukatsu specialist shaped by Korean research and effort. There were various menus from gyukatsu to steki set, ramen, and mazesoba, but I ordered the signature gyukatsu.
My pick — gyukatsu set for two, ₩36,000
They brought out the mini brazier first. Two people share one brazier.
The gyukatsu came out quickly too. Since it's a set, it comes with rice and soup. The kkakdugi (radish kimchi) side dish here is also delicious✨
A gorgeous bright red color. Crispy outside, moist-looking inside, right?
How to grill gyukatsu on Izawa's mini brazier, four pieces at a time
Place only as much as you'll eat onto the well-heated brazier and grill it up nicely.
Grilling about four pieces at a time is just right. Cook up nicely~~
Even though it's a mini brazier, the heat is strong. Flip it once in a while to cook evenly.
The moist gyukatsu is finished. Eating it while it's warm is heavenly.
Wasabi, soy sauce or sesame sauce: the best dipping combo at Izawa
Izawa's gyukatsu is delicious even plain, but my favorite combo is with wasabi. Crispy outside, moist inside, plus the sharp kick of wasabi — both the taste and texture were the best.
Two sauces came out. The one on the right was a soy-sauce-based sauce that wasn't salty, and brought out the savory flavor. I accidentally dunked it too much... but it still wasn't salty, haha.
The white sauce felt like a sesame-dressing-based sauce — nutty and sweet, and dipping alternately with the soy sauce made it even more delicious.
Eating it with wasabi and the stir-fried kimchi-like side dish on top was also delicious.
The gyukatsu was so tender you could practically eat it with your gums, so I never got tired of it no matter how much I ate.
Hehehehe, you can tell just by looking how tender it is >_< Truly moist, tender, and nutty — a place that makes you go 'wow' with every bite.
Why dinner at Izawa means arriving before 8pm
On my way out after eating every last bite blissfully, I noticed they were closing early due to running out of ingredients — even though it was still within business hours. If you want to eat here for dinner, I really recommend visiting before 8pm! If you're looking for a Yeouido restaurant, a great gyukatsu date spot, I recommend Izawa!
Is Izawa in Yeouido worth a visit?
- A gyukatsu restaurant in Yeouido
- Cozy, tidy wood-tone interior with a great atmosphere, perfect for a date
- Close to Yeouido Station, so public transit access is good too
- Also recommended for office workers' lunch
- For dinner visits, go before 8pm to be safe, before ingredients run out
Where it is
203, 204 Izawa, 42 Yeouinaru-ro, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, South Korea서울특별시 영등포구 여의나루로 42 203호, 204호 이자와
