Gwanghwamun Japanese restaurant with yakisoba napolitan: Ichigyu

I had an errand near Gwanghwamun, so I finally went to Ichigyu Gwanghwamun Branch, a gyukatsu and steki (Japanese-style steak) specialist I'd been curious about! It has a ton of reviews as a Gwanghwamun restaurant, so I went in with high expectations, and honestly it was such a great meal 😊 It's also famous as a Jonggak Station restaurant, so it seemed popular for weekday lunches and evening Gwanghwamun date courses too!

Where is Ichigyu Gwanghwamun Branch, and its hours and parking

Address: 서울특별시 종로구 종로 19 르메이에르종로타운 지하 1층 B123호

• Hours: Daily 11:00 ~ 21:30
• Break time: 15:00 ~ 17:00
• Reservations: Naver Reservation / CatchTable
• Parking: 2 hours available at Le Meilleur Jongno Town

It's a 5-minute walk from either Jonggak Station or Gwanghwamun Station, so it's really accessible. The restaurant is right at the bottom of the escalator going down to the basement level, so I found it without any trouble at all!!

Walking in, the interior had a strong Japanese vibe that stood out, and true to a gyukatsu and steki specialist, even the little decor pieces felt detailed. The seating isn't very large, so there can be a wait during meal times — I'd recommend reserving ahead just in case, ugh!

Ichigyu Gwanghwamun Branch menu and prices

• Ichigyu Gyukatsu Set ₩19,500
• Ichigyu Steki Set ₩19,500
• Steki-don ₩19,500
• Hamburg Omurice (popular) ₩17,000
• Iron Plate Chop Steak ₩18,000
• Japanese Curry ₩13,000
• Yakisoba Napolitan ₩12,000
• Cold Soba & Fried Shrimp (popular) ₩11,000
• Steki Set Double (Jumbo) ₩32,000
• Set 1 Gyukatsu+Gyukatsu+2 drinks ₩42,000
• Set 2 Gyukatsu+Hamburg Omurice+2 drinks ₩39,500
• Set 3 Gyukatsu+Steki-don+2 drinks ₩42,000
• Set 4 Gyukatsu+Iron Plate Chop Steak+2 drinks ₩40,500

Steki set, 19,500 won: butter on the charcoal brazier

True to a proper set meal, it came with a full spread — rice, miso soup, salad and side dishes! The steki is the main event, and since you grill it yourself over a charcoal burner, the staff lit the solid fuel and set up the burner as soon as we sat down haha.

Melting a little butter on top before grilling the meat made the savory aroma even richer and deepened the flavor so much! Dabbing a bit of wasabi and dipping it in the soy sauce was, for me, the best combination.

The meat is sliced thicker than at other places, so it took a bit longer to cook through to the center — but if you account for that and take your time grilling, it turns out so much more tender and juicy haha.

Steki-don, 19,500 won: a solo-friendly rice bowl with free rice refills

Steki-don is a rice bowl with plenty of grilled steki piled on top of warm rice. Unlike the set, it's a single bowl you can enjoy quickly and filling-ly, making it a good choice for solo dining or when you're short on time. The meat itself keeps its tender texture, and the sauce that comes with the rice bowl pairs so well with the rice that I ended up polishing off the whole bowl without needing any side dishes. Pairing it with the pickled cabbage kept things clean and non-greasy all the way through.

One big plus at Ichigyu is that rice is unlimited refills!! The meat portion isn't super generous on its own, so you need carbs alongside it to feel full, but since refills are free, I could eat comfortably until I was really satisfied 😊

Yakisoba napolitan, 12,000 won: how does it taste?

Since it's Napolitan-style, it's a ketchup-based yakisoba, and eating it with the plump sausage kept it from getting boring haha. Thanks to the well-cooked bell peppers and vegetables, it felt like a healthier bite 🤤

Is Ichigyu Gwanghwamun Branch worth a visit?

With easy access from Gwanghwamun and Jonggak, it's an easy pick for a lunch meeting, and it works well as a Japanese-food course or a relaxed Gwanghwamun date spot haha. If you're near Gwanghwamun or Jongno and craving a good gyukatsu restaurant or some steki, this is worth a visit :)