Gangnam Japanese restaurant for steak rice bowls: Gyuen Dang

After wrapping up some morning work near Seolleung Station, I heard that a new restaurant had opened and decided to visit. Gyuen Dang Seolleung Branch, which I came across while taking a walk in the lovely weather, is already well known in Seongsu for its gyukatsu (Japanese beef cutlet) and omurice (Japanese omelette rice). Hearing that it had opened a branch in Seolleung too, I went in with high expectations.

Gyuen Dang Seolleung Branch location and hours

Here is the basic information to know before visiting. The address is 2F, 26 Seolleung-ro 86-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea.

• Weekdays (Monday–Friday): 11:00–21:30
• Weekends (Saturday–Sunday): 11:30–22:00
• Break time: 15:00–17:00
• About a 5-minute walk from Exit 1 of Seolleung Station on Subway Line 2

A sunny window seat and the menu

As soon as I stepped in, the interior was very pleasant and neat, just as you would expect from a newly opened place. The dining room is divided into three areas, with plenty of tables for two to four people, so it looked great for a date or a small gathering too. We took a seat by the sunny window.

The menu is broadly made up of gyukatsu, omurice, rice bowls, udon, and curry. There are fried items on the side menu, while drinks include highballs, draft beer, and soft drinks. I especially noticed the 200 ml small beer for ₩4,000.

We ordered the sirloin gyukatsu for its enjoyable meaty texture and the steak rice bowl for a substantial meal. Each table has clear tips on how to best enjoy the gyukatsu and omurice, so we followed them exactly.

Sirloin gyukatsu and steak rice bowl

The first thing to arrive after ordering was an ice-cold zero-calorie cider. The weather was still hot, so the chilled drink was especially welcome.

Sirloin gyukatsu grilled on a hot stone

The sirloin gyukatsu arrived first, and it looked exceptional from the start. It came in a classic set with rice, salad, wasabi, salt, soy sauce, pickles, and soup. The marbling in the beef was truly excellent.

It comes cut into 10 pieces, which you grill two at a time on the heated stone grill.

Butter is served separately to bring out the flavor of the meat. It is cut into four pieces, so you can melt one each time you grill and eat it alongside the beef.

Once the stone was hot, I placed the meat on it. The aroma of butter-soaked gyukatsu really whetted my appetite. Since it needs to cook evenly on both sides, I held back for a moment before trying the first piece with wasabi and soy sauce.

The sirloin's signature chewy yet tender texture was outstanding. One bite made it clear why the place became known as a good restaurant, and why it has opened near Seolleung Station, where there are so many office workers. Perfectly cooked gyukatsu with white rice needs no explanation, and paired with the refreshing salad, it felt clean rather than rich.

Steak rice bowl with juices soaked into the rice

Then the steak rice bowl we had been waiting for appeared. It was nice that it waited to arrive while we grilled the gyukatsu, so we could have the meat over piping-hot rice.

The bowl looked filling at a glance, piled high with well-grilled steak over rice. The meat juices had soaked into the rice, making it so good with rice that it needed no extra side dishes. Along with the meat, it came with a fried egg, vegetables, and other satisfying accompaniments.

If you want both the fun of grilling gyukatsu yourself and the hearty satisfaction of a rice bowl, I strongly recommend this combination.

Newly opened near Seolleung Station, Gyuen Dang is a place where you can enjoy both the fun of grilling gyukatsu yourself and a filling rice bowl. I strongly recommend it if you are planning a Seolleung Station date or deciding on an office-worker lunch.