Japanese restaurant in Pangyo: after-work striploin steak, Ichigyu

Today's restaurant pick!

After-work dinner with a coworker in Pangyo: why Ichigyu?

I was wondering where to have dinner with a teammate after work, and Ichigyu (이치규) at Avenuefrance in Pangyo naturally came to mind. We both love food, and I wanted to take us somewhere that wasn't too casual but still had a nice atmosphere.

Honestly, back when gyukatsu (breaded beef cutlet) was all the rage, my coworker and I said "let's go sometime," and that stuck with me. The place had a different name back then, but it now operates as Ichigyu and still lets you grill your food yourself on a personal tabletop grill.

The story goes that the owner grew up next to parents who ran a butcher shop, and combined the warmth of a traditional market with skilled meat-trimming techniques to create this brand. It's one of the few specialty shops in Korea where you can enjoy a variety of cuts as gyukatsu, which is why it keeps coming up for people searching for good food at Avenuefrance Pangyo.

Where is Ichigyu Avenuefrance Pangyo?

Ichigyu Avenuefrance Pangyo is at 25 Dongpangyo-ro 177beon-gil, Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi, on the 2nd floor of Avenuefrance Pangyo, Unit 220. It's about a 5–10 minute walk from Exit 1 of Pangyo Station.

Avenuefrance is a street-style shopping complex, so you'll find the entrance naturally as you walk along. If you work around Sampyeong-dong, it's an easy walk for lunch or dinner. Take the elevator to the 2nd floor and the entrance is right there. They've also put the menu outside so you can look it over before going in, which cuts down on indecision.

What about the wait and parking?

The wait at Ichigyu Pangyo can get long on weekends and at dinner peak. If you join the queue remotely in the Catch Table app beforehand, you can arrive just in time without waiting around, so I recommend checking the app before you go!

Parking in the Avenuefrance Pangyo building is free. 🅿️ There's plenty of space for a mall this size, and turnover is fast even on weekends. On days I drive I focus on the food without drinking, and this day was the same: I only had a small beer. 😄

Atmosphere at Ichigyu Pangyo

The first thing you notice walking in is the warm wood-tone interior. It has that tidy, clean feel typical of Japanese restaurants, but it isn't stiff, and the cozy layout makes it comfortable to sit and talk.

Every table has a mini personal grill, so the moment you sit down it already feels like a grill night. The slightly dim lighting also gives it a natural date-night vibe in the evening.

It was fairly busy when I visited around 7 p.m., but the tables are spaced well enough that the neighboring tables weren't too distracting. The size suits small groups of 2–4 better than big families. ✨

Gyukatsu vs. steak: what's the difference?

Ichigyu's menu is split into gyukatsu and steak, rice bowls, noodles, and sides.

Gyukatsu is a Japanese-style beef cutlet: thickly sliced beef is coated in breadcrumbs, fried briefly at high heat, and then grilled to your liking on the personal grill. Unlike pork cutlet, the key is enjoying the inside rare to medium-rare, and the appeal lies in the contrast between the crispy crust and the pink, juicy center.

Striploin (サーロイン) is the cut running from the back of the ribeye toward the loin. It has a moderate amount of marbling, so it's tender while still having a satisfying chew.

Steak, on the other hand, skips the breading and grills the beef itself directly on the grill, so you get a purer taste of the meat. 🥩

Our dinner order for two

Here's what we ordered at Ichigyu Pangyo for two people.

• Striploin gyukatsu (coworker)
• Striploin steak (me)
• Karaage and fried shrimp side
• Small beer (just one each since I'd driven 😅)

How do you use the Isigny butter?

When you order at Ichigyu, each table gets a portion of Isigny butter. The order matters: put the butter on the grill first and melt it completely, then add the meat.

Isigny butter is a premium AOC-certified (protected designation of origin) butter from the Isigny-sur-Mer area of Normandy, France, known for its high fat content and deep creaminess. It's not just butter: melted on the grill, its aroma rises and it coats the surface so the meat doesn't stick. If you skip this step, the breading can stick to the grill and ruin the texture.

How does the striploin steak taste?

Ichigyu's striploin steak is grilled in Isigny butter with no breading, so the butter aroma mingles with the meat juices for a really luxurious flavor. There's a reason I chose steak: with gyukatsu, the breading sometimes sticks to the grill, which can be a little disappointing.

When the meat first came out it felt slightly frozen, which worried me for a moment, but cooking it slowly on the grill loosened it up and it turned wonderfully moist. The striploin's moderate marbling met the butter, the outside caramelized slightly, and the inside ended up a pink medium-rare. 🔥

Side dishes: karaage and fried shrimp

Ichigyu's karaage was nicely balanced: lightly crisp outside and juicy inside. The fried shrimp came out crunchy with reasonably thick shrimp, which makes it a great snack with drinks too. 🍤

Karaage is Japanese fried chicken, made by marinating chicken in soy sauce, mirin, and ginger, then double-frying it at high heat with potato starch.

The wooden pot of rice is a highlight too

At Ichigyu Pangyo, the rice comes piled high in a wooden pot and you scoop out your own. It's far more generous than a regular bowl of rice, and the wooden pot keeps it warm, so you can eat it hot down to the last spoonful.

This is a quietly big plus. You never have to worry about running out of rice and ordering more. 😄

Verdict: Ichigyu is even better on a summer evening after work

Personally, I think Ichigyu Avenuefrance Pangyo tastes even better in summer. It's hot outside, the air conditioning is blasting inside, and grilling meat on a tabletop grill in that comfortable space feels especially good.

If you work around Sampyeong-dong, it suits lunch or dinner, and the mood is just right for a day when you want personal conversation instead of talking shop. If you're looking for good food at Avenuefrance Pangyo, or wondering where to go for a date, I can happily recommend it. 🍽️