Geomdan tonkatsu restaurant with a honey yogurt starter: HOKATSU

A tonkatsu restaurant with 10 years of history in Geomdan, Incheon Tonkatsu spot HOKATSU

Today I want to introduce HOKATSU, a tonkatsu (pork cutlet) restaurant in Geomdan, Incheon.

HOKATSU is a "handmade tonkatsu restaurant" that has been running in Geomdan New Town for a whopping 10 years, and I heard they have a special aging method, so my partner and I visited with high expectations. There are so many tonkatsu restaurants these days that it's hard to decide where to go, so we went and played taste-tester (like royal food tasters, haha) for HOKATSU's tonkatsu!! Curious what it tastes like?

HOKATSU opening hours and how long the wait is

HOKATSU hours Daily 11:00–21:30 Break time 15:30–17:00 Last order 15:00 / 21:00

Being an Incheon hotspot, there's a wait — we visited around 11:30 a.m. and there was already a line. As expected, popular places get crowded right from opening haha. We quickly registered for waiting. While waiting, you can pre-select your menu through the waiting kiosk, which was nice because once your turn comes you can eat a bit faster.

What the couple ordered: Favorite Katsu + Mini Curry SET

Everything looked delicious so we agonized over it, and ended up ordering two Favorite Katsu + Mini Curry SETs from the single set menu. It was the perfect combo for us since we wanted both tonkatsu and curry!! While waiting after ordering, we spent time at the claw machine arcade across the way (sadly, we didn't win anything...).

The honey yogurt starter and yogurt dry-aged pork

Once our turn came and we sat down, the staff brought us a pre-meal yogurt. At first I thought it was just a light yogurt served before the meal, but after tasting it, this yogurt turned out to be the restaurant's cheat code. It was sweet and tangy, and the honey mixed into the yogurt made for a really novel combination! It was already surprising that a tonkatsu restaurant serves yogurt first, but the fact that they pay attention to even this small detail was impressive!

The thing I was most curious about visiting HOKATSU was their special meat-aging method. HOKATSU apparently ages their meat using a yogurt-based dry-aging technique. With their domestically-developed-for-the-first-time 'handmade yogurt dry-aging,' they say the quality of the meat is elevated even further. I was practically breathless with curiosity about how it would taste lol. Various sauces are set up at each table so you can eat according to your own preference.

How the truffle tenderloin katsu and cheese katsu taste

The tenderloin katsu came with truffle on top, and the savory truffle blended so well with the tonkatsu that the truffle aroma spread throughout my mouth. If you're not a fan of truffle, dip it generously in tonkatsu sauce and you won't taste the truffle at all!! Both the cheese katsu and tenderloin katsu were crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside — I'd say it's fair to call this the best tonkatsu I've ever had. The juices flowing out of the meat stimulated my appetite mercilessly.

Various sauces are prepared at each table so you can PICK whichever suits your taste!! The curry served with the tonkatsu wasn't Japanese-style curry but one with chicken breast(?) in it — bottom line, it's delicious mixed into rice!!

Inside HOKATSU: self-bar and parking

The restaurant isn't large but is a cozy size, good for a family of 3–4 or a couple. When you walk in, there are celebrity autographs near the entrance — a true hotspot even celebrities have endorsed, haha. There's also a self-bar on one side of the restaurant where you can help yourself to more of whatever you're missing. And if you're visiting by car, tell the staff your license plate number when you leave after your meal and they'll take care of parking support!!

Is HOKATSU worth it for tonkatsu in Geomdan?

After eating it myself, I can see why HOKATSU earned a Blue Ribbon selection!! Since it's a Blue Ribbon-recognized restaurant, expect some waiting, so plan accordingly. Along with tonkatsu, they have a variety of menu items including ramen, so there's plenty to choose from depending on your taste. This time, I had a meal that was fully satisfying in both taste and service. If you're looking for a great tonkatsu restaurant in Geomdan, Incheon, I highly recommend it!!