Euljiro top-100 katsu restaurant: mixed set and radish soup, Hunta

What kind of tonkatsu restaurant is Hunta Euljiro?

Hunta Euljiro (훈타 을지로) is a black pork tonkatsu specialist near Euljiro-ipgu Station. It is listed among the top 100 katsu restaurants in Korea in the Daedon Yeojido (《대돈여지도》), the tonkatsu bible published by Donbanggu, a self-proclaimed (and widely acknowledged) katsu influencer. When you go hunting for tonkatsu spots these days, there's always one you've been meaning to try, and this time I went to Hunta Euljiro for a solo lunch.

Since experts had vouched for the taste and quality, my expectations were high before I even arrived. I was especially curious about tonkatsu made from premium black pork, which is tricky to handle. Each cut probably has its own texture and flavor, so I ordered the mixed katsu set to try several cuts at once.

It's close to Euljiro-ipgu Station, so it's a good pick for an office lunch or a hearty meal in the Euljiro area. Was the premium black pork katsu as good as I hoped? Let me walk you through it, starting with the storefront.

Hunta Euljiro hours, parking and restroom

• Address: 24 Namdaemun-ro 9-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul (FASTFIVE building, Unit 106, 1st floor)
• Parking: paid underground parking in the building, ₩3,000 per 30 minutes, max ₩18,000
• Restroom: in the building
• Hours: Monday–Friday, 11am–8:10pm
• Break time: 3pm–5pm
• Last order: 2:30pm and 7:40pm
• Closed Saturdays and Sundays

How to get to Hunta Euljiro from Euljiro-ipgu Station

Hunta Euljiro is about a 3-minute walk from Exit 1-1 of Euljiro-ipgu Station. Look for the building with the FASTFIVE sign; remembering the building name makes it easy to find. You can enter through the main entrance or the back entrance, so just look around and use whichever is more convenient. For a first visit, using the FASTFIVE building as your landmark makes things a bit easier.

The storefront is done mostly in black, with Hunta's sign catching your eye on the glass and above the entrance. It has a clean, modern look, and I could spot it even among Euljiro's office buildings.

Next to the entrance is a standing sign with photos of the tonkatsu and kimchi stew set menus, handy for checking the menu in advance. It's near the station and you can use either the front or back entrance, so it's a decent spot for a weekday lunch or for meeting someone nearby.

Atmosphere and seating at Hunta Euljiro

Inside, black tables and chairs are paired with wood-tone interiors for a calm yet stylish mood. It feels clean and modern overall, a good space for lunch in Euljiro or a meal with coworkers.

The tables are set up for groups of 2–4, and there are window seats too. With window seats overlooking the outside and tables further inside, you can pick whichever vibe you like.

Each table has a tablet for ordering, which makes checking the menu and ordering easy, and napkins, cups and other essentials are set out too.

Hunta's stainless steel aging fridge with the pork on display

One thing that caught my eye inside was a big stainless steel aging fridge. You can see the meat through a clear window, so your eyes just drift toward it. Since this is a place serving tonkatsu made with premium black pork, I found myself wondering how they handle and age the meat.

Seeing the meat stored in the fridge got me even more excited about the texture and flavor of the mixed katsu set before I'd even taken a bite.

The business card event and the Daedon Yeojido top 100

There was also a business card event going on inside. If you drop in your business card, they draw winners on the last day of each month and give out meal vouchers.

• 1st prize: ₩50,000 meal voucher, 2 winners
• 2nd prize: ₩30,000 meal voucher, 3 winners
• 3rd prize: ₩10,000 meal voucher, 5 winners

If you have a business card after your meal, it looks like a small bit of fun to join in. Whether the event runs and the conditions for entering may change, so check the in-store notice when you visit. A copy of the Daedon Yeojido was also on display on one side, which caught my eye and reminded me again that this is a listed top 100 katsu spot.

Hunta Euljiro menu and prices

Hunta Euljiro had a wide menu, from tonkatsu sets to katsudon (pork cutlet rice bowl) and kimchi stew sets. Ordering was easy using the tablet on the table.

Katsu sets

• Loin (deungsim) katsu set ₩14,000
• Fillet (ansim) katsu set ₩16,000
• Chicken (thigh) katsu set ₩14,000
• Loin & fillet katsu set ₩17,000
• Mixed (loin, fillet, cheese) katsu set ₩19,000

Kimchi stew sets, add-ons and drinks

• Jeo-jip black pork kimchi stew set (loin) ₩15,000
• Jeo-jip black pork kimchi stew set (fillet) ₩15,000
• Chicken (thigh) add-on ₩4,000
• Cheese katsu add-on ₩3,500
• Cola ₩2,000
• Sprite ₩2,000

Hunta's mixed katsu set: how do the loin, fillet and cheese katsu taste?

Hunta Euljiro's mixed katsu set (₩19,000) puts loin, fillet and cheese katsu on one plate, so you can compare the flavors as you eat. I wanted to try several cuts of tonkatsu at once, so I went with this set.

The golden-brown batter looked crisp, and when I cut into the meat the inside was a moist pink, which made it look even more appetizing. The cheese katsu has cheese inside that adds a rich, nutty flavor. Crispy batter with soft cheese is a combo cheese lovers will be happy to see.

Katsu with salt, pepper, shichimi, mustard and wasabi

At Hunta Euljiro, besides tonkatsu sauce, you can have your katsu with salt and pepper, shichimi (Japanese seven-spice chili blend), mustard and wasabi. Dipping in tonkatsu sauce is the familiar way and it's good, but a light touch of salt really lets you taste the meat itself.

Shichimi adds a sharp, spicy kick, and mustard or wasabi lets you play with different tastes depending on your preference. Switching up the combinations a little at a time, rather than sticking to one sauce, made the same katsu taste different each time, which made eating it fun.

Tonkatsu with scallion kimchi: a better match than expected

The most memorable combination from Hunta Euljiro's mixed katsu set was katsu with pajikimchi (scallion kimchi). At first, pairing tonkatsu with scallion kimchi felt a little unfamiliar, but once I actually ate them together, they went really well.

After crispy, nutty katsu, a bite of spicy scallion kimchi left my mouth feeling much fresher. The seasoning and sharp bite of the scallion kimchi cut through the richness of the katsu, so I kept reaching for more. Dipping in tonkatsu sauce is delicious too, but topping the katsu with scallion kimchi had a different charm.

Going from salt or shichimi to adding scallion kimchi kept the flavors from getting monotonous, and personally, scallion kimchi with katsu was my favorite pairing.

Radish soup with a deep meat broth

The soup served with the katsu set was a clear mu-guk (Korean radish soup) style, and one sip revealed a deep flavor from the meat broth. The soup that came with the katsu stuck in my memory more than I expected.

It was light yet had a subtle savory depth, so it was nice to sip between bites of katsu and rice. Fried food can leave your mouth feeling a bit heavy, and the warm broth kept the meal flowing naturally. It was a meal where the soup and sides came together nicely with the katsu.

Is Hunta Euljiro good for a solo lunch near Euljiro-ipgu Station?

The mixed katsu set I had alone for lunch at Hunta Euljiro was fun, trying several kinds of katsu and mixing up different accompaniments. The crispy batter, the moist meat and the nutty cheese katsu were all good, but personally the most impressive thing was the scallion kimchi and katsu combo.

Add the soup with its deep meat broth, and I finished the meal feeling properly full. If you're looking for a tonkatsu restaurant near Euljiro-ipgu Station, check out Hunta's menu lineup. For me, eating the katsu together with scallion kimchi was the flavor that made this meal memorable.