À la carte gyukatsu, 18,000 won, at Cheonan Japanese spot Izawa
In short
Izawa Cheonan Sinbu-dong Branch is a Japanese home-style restaurant on the second floor of the food alley across from Cheonan Terminal in Cheonan, Chungnam. Arriving at 1:30pm on a weekend with no wait, I ordered the gyukatsu (breaded beef cutlet, striploin) at 18,000 won and the steki-don (steak rice bowl) at 18,000 won à la carte and grilled each piece to taste on the mini brazier set on the table. The gyukatsu stayed tender whether barely seared or cooked through, and the garlic flakes on the steak rice bowl cut the richness.
Good to know
- Address
- 2nd floor, 18-1 Meokgeori 10-gil, Dongnam-gu, Cheonan-si, Chungcheongnam-do
- Hours
- Tue–Sun 11:30–21:00 (break 14:40–16:30)
- Closed
- Mondays
- Parking
- Sinbu Public Parking Lots No. 4 and 5 (first 30 minutes free); the restaurant registers a 1-hour parking pass
- Gyukatsu (striploin)
- 18,000 won
- Steki-don (steak rice bowl)
- 18,000 won
- Seating
- Tables for 2 to 4, plus bar seats at the back
- Price reference
- ₩18,000 ≈ $13 (2026-09-24)
as written by the visitor on Sep 23, 2026
Izawa
Today I want to give you my honest review of Izawa Cheonan Sinbu-dong Branch, a go-to Sinbu-dong date spot near Cheonan Terminal where you can enjoy properly made Japanese-style gyukatsu (beef cutlet) 🤎
Where Izawa Cheonan Sinbu-dong Branch is, opening hours and parking
- 📍Address: 18-1 Meokgeori10-gil, Dongnam-gu, Cheonan-si, Chungcheongnam-do, South Korea, 2nd floor
- ⏰ Hours: Tue–Sun 11:30–21:00 / break time 14:40–16:30 / closed Mondays
- 🚘 Parking: Sinbu Public Parking Lots No. 4 & 5 (first 30 min free), register for a 1-hour parking pass
It's right in the Sinbu-dong food alley across from Cheonan Terminal, so it's a great spot for meeting friends or going on a date!
— A bit of Izawa's history — Starting with its flagship store near Sungshin Women's University in June 2015, Izawa is known as the original Japanese home-style brand that first introduced gyukatsu and steak rice bowls to Korea. The sign posted next to the entrance reads, "We will always strive to make sure every guest has a satisfying meal," which made me trust the food even before taking a bite!
Inside Izawa: bar seats that work for solo diners
The cozy, warm wood-toned interior paired with bright cherry blossom decor gave off that unmistakable romantic Japanese feel at first glance 🌸 The interior is so full of Japanese atmosphere it almost felt like being on a trip to Japan •••
I visited around 1:30pm on a weekend and luckily there was no wait! Seating ranges from 2-person to 4-person tables and the restaurant is spacious, so it felt really comfortable.
There are also bar seats in the back, which are great for solo dining — and there were actually quite a few people eating alone. If you're looking for a solo dining spot near Cheonan Terminal, highly recommend!✨
Gyukatsu (striploin), 18,000 won: grilled to taste on a mini brazier
If you come to Izawa, you absolutely cannot miss the signature Sinbu-dong specialty: gyukatsu 🤎 Gyukatsu (striploin) — ₩18,000
On the tray, the neatly sliced gyukatsu comes out beautifully plated with cabbage salad tossed in a savory sesame dressing, wasabi, and pickled ginger.
Each table has its own mini brazier, so it's fun to grill it to your own taste 😝 When you place the gyukatsu on the well-heated stone plate, there's a sizzling sound and a savory meaty aroma rises up!!!
I grilled half lightly and cooked the other half a bit more, and both were tender and delicious ✨ Being able to grill it exactly how you like is a huge plus✨
The outside keeps its crispy breading while the inside still has that tender texture of beef with a vivid pink marbling. The mini brazier uses solid fuel, and staff check in and swap in a new one partway through, so you can grill without any worries 👍🏻
Take a well-grilled piece of gyukatsu, add a touch of sharp wasabi, dip it in the special sauce, and eat it with plain white rice — the savory juices burst in your mouth and you really taste what makes gyukatsu special!
Steki-don (steak rice bowl), 18,000 won: garlic flakes make it
The second main dish, a perfect combo with the gyukatsu, is the steak rice bowl (steki-don). Steki-don — ₩18,000 🤎
On top of the rice sits tender beef seared briefly on the surface like tataki, curled into rounds, with a generous amount of savory garlic flakes and chopped scallions scattered over the center.
The crispy, sharp flavor of the garlic flakes pairs so well with the sweet-savory special tare sauce!
A flavor you keep eating even when you're full ❤️ The crunchy garlic flakes with every bite cut cleanly through what could otherwise be a rich, heavy meat flavor.
Scoop up some warm rice on a spoon, top it with a piece of tender beef, wasabi, and garlic flakes, and pop it all in your mouth at once — an explosion of umami!!! I was thoroughly satisfied with both dishes.
Who should eat at Izawa Cheonan Sinbu-dong Branch?
- ✔️Restaurants near Cheonan Terminal
- ✔️Recommended Sinbu-dong date course
- ✔️A Cheonan restaurant with great Japanese-style interior atmosphere
- ✔️Gyukatsu spot where you grill it yourself on a mini brazier, to your own taste
Where it is
18-1 Meokgeori10-gil, Dongnam-gu, Cheonan-si, Chungcheongnam-do, South Korea충청남도 천안시 동남구 먹거리10길 18-1
