Maljukgeori katsu restaurant with handmade curry dip: Yangjae Katsu
In short
Yangjae Katsu is a Japanese pork cutlet (tonkatsu) restaurant in Seocho, Seoul, a 10-minute walk from Yangjae Station exit 8, behind the Yangjaecheon café street. Arriving right after the 5pm break, the writer ordered the loin and fillet katsu set plus cheese katsu with a side of handmade curry, and the loin katsu had no gamey smell and a good lean-to-fat balance that tasted like a different dish once dipped in the curry. Served as a full meal on a wooden tray, Yangjae Katsu suits solo diners, dates and family meals alike.
Good to know
- Hours
- Daily 11:00-21:00 (last order 20:00)
- Break time
- 15:00-17:00
- Location
- 10-minute walk from Yangjae Station exit 8, behind Yangjaecheon café street and the Black Yak headquarters
- Parking
- 2-3 cars in front of the restaurant; nearby public lot when full
- Ordered
- Loin and fillet katsu set, cheese katsu, side handmade curry
- Cooking time
- About 10-15 minutes after ordering
as written by the visitor on Sep 19, 2026
Today I've got a review of Yangjae Katsu, a neat and delicious Japanese pork cutlet (tonkatsu) restaurant near Yangjae Station and the Yangjaecheon café street.
Where is Yangjae Katsu, and what about parking and break time?
Yangjae Katsu is a 10-minute walk from Yangjae Station exit 8, tucked behind the Yangjaecheon café street and the Black Yak headquarters. It's open daily 11:00-21:00, last order 20:00, with a break time from 15:00-17:00.
- ⏰️ Hours: Daily 11:00 - 21:00 (last order 20:00 / break time 15:00 - 17:00)
- 📌 Location: 10-min walk from Yangjae Station exit 8, behind Yangjaecheon café street and Black Yak headquarters
- 💡 Parking: Available in front of the restaurant (up to 2-3 cars; use nearby public lot if full)
Visiting Yangjae Katsu at 5pm: wait time and the room
We showed up a bit after 5pm. Luckily, since it was still on the early side for dinner, we got seated right away with no wait.
The interior was decorated in a cute yet cozy, warm wood tone. It felt like a great spot for a casual date, but also perfectly comfortable for a family gathering or a solo meal.
What we ordered and what comes on the wooden tray
We ordered the loin+fillet katsu set, cheese katsu, and a side of handmade curry. The staff kindly let us know it would take about 10-15 minutes after ordering.
After chatting for a bit, the food arrived not long after, neatly arranged as a single-set meal on a wooden tray!
The plating alone looked so appetizing I couldn't help but take photos. On the wooden tray sat the main katsu alongside a savory miso-style soup and a salad topped with a nutty sesame dressing.
Side dishes included diced radish kimchi (kkakdugi) and pickled radish/pepper, and the rice was sprinkled with a nutty furikake (seasoned rice topping) — a nice touch. The sauces were well stocked too: katsu sauce, salt, fresh wasabi, and a lemon wedge, all served neatly together.
Loin and fillet katsu set: any gamey smell?
First up, the loin+fillet katsu set I was most looking forward to came with one piece of loin cutlet and two pieces of fillet cutlet. I personally love a clean, chewy loin katsu the most, so I was thrilled with how loin-heavy this set was!
Honestly, before visiting, I'd read another review mentioning a gamey smell around the tendon part of the loin katsu, so I was a little worried.
But once I actually tasted it, there was no gamey smell at all — just a nutty, rich flavor of the meat itself! Some places have way too high a fat ratio and it gets greasy, but Yangjae Katsu's lean-to-fat ratio was just right, so it was really delicious.
The fillet katsu served alongside was incredibly tender — soft enough that you could practically swallow it without chewing! Squeezing the lemon provided on top added a refreshing touch that cut through any richness completely, making it clean and enjoyable. The breading itself stayed crisp on the outside and juicy inside all the way through, without ever going soggy — very satisfying.
Does the cheese katsu hold up once it cools?
Next, the visually explosive cheese katsu was packed to the brim with nutty, gooey cheese threatening to spill out. There was so much cheese it made my mouth water just looking at it.
Cheese katsu usually gets tricky as the cheese hardens and turns cloying or greasy the longer you eat. But Yangjae Katsu's cheese katsu kept that distinct nutty cheese flavor even after cooling, without getting greasy, so I enjoyed it all the way to the last bite!
Dipping the katsu in Yangjae Katsu's handmade curry
The side handmade curry we added had a deep, rich curry aroma that paired fantastically with both the katsu and the rice — I'd really recommend adding it. I was surprised at how generously loaded it was with meat chunks, and dipping the katsu into it felt like eating a completely different dish altogether — it went so, so well together, haha.
Overall, with wasabi, salt, the special sauce, and the tangy pickled side dishes, the variety was so rich that even though it was all fried food, we finished it completely without ever feeling weighed down.
If you're looking for a can't-miss Japanese tonkatsu spot near Yangjae Station or Yangjaecheon, be sure to give Yangjae Katsu a visit!
Where it is
56 Nonhyeon-ro 31-gil, Seocho-gu, Seoul, South Korea서울특별시 서초구 논현로31길 56 1층
