Shrimp pilaf at a Yongbong-dong, Gwangju katsu restaurant: Filling

Lots of people love tonkatsu these days, right? Especially when you're figuring out where to eat with kids! In Gwangju, "Filling Donkatsu" is the name that comes to mind for tonkatsu now. It's located in Yongbong-dong, a neighborhood packed with good restaurants, so I wanted to introduce it.

Filling Donkatsu Yongbong Branch: hours, address and parking

Filling Donkatsu Yongbong Branch is on the 2nd-3rd floor at 297 Seoljuk-ro, Buk-gu, Gwangju. It's open from 11:30 to 21:00, with a break time from 14:30 to 17:00.

• Address: 297 Seoljuk-ro, Buk-gu, Gwangju, South Korea (2nd-3rd floor)
• Hours: 11:30–21:00 (break time 14:30–17:00)
• Parking: Dedicated parking lot available (up to 90 minutes free)
• Takeout/delivery/group dining available, high chairs available

What we ordered at Filling Donkatsu in Yongbong-dong, Gwangju

Filling Donkatsu Yongbong Branch follows a principle of butchering and preparing meat the same day it's slaughtered. Maybe that's why the katsu quality is top-notch! Anyone who's tried it before knows — Filling Donkatsu Yongbong really stands out.

Did you know Filling Donkatsu was selected for 'Daedon Yeojido,' a book featuring the top 100 tonkatsu restaurants in the country? That's how highly regarded this tonkatsu spot is in Gwangju. So what did we order at this Yongbong-dong tonkatsu favorite?

Each table has a tablet ordering system, so you can browse the menu and order comfortably. We even snagged a free lemonade from a review event, haha. You've got to have an ade or soda with tonkatsu!

The Filling Donkatsu character is so cute every time I see it, haha.

The salad that comes with the meal — great as a starter. Soup is included too.

Now we're ready to enjoy the tonkatsu. This kind of old-style soup is so good. Our old couple loves this kind of soup, haha.

How was the 200-hour tenderloin katsu?

Filling Donkatsu Yongbong's 200-hour tenderloin katsu is made from tenderloin aged 200 hours, fried crisp while keeping the meat juicy and moist. It comes on a palette-shaped plate with several sauces.

The plating is so pretty. Honestly, I really want this plate — the palette-shaped one you can hold sauces on. If anyone knows where to find one, let me know, haha, I want to copy it.

Salad paired with tonkatsu — a combo that Korean taste buds have loved forever. It cuts through the richness of the tonkatsu perfectly!

This is what tonkatsu should be! Not the old-school just-deep-fry-it kind. Once you try Filling Donkatsu Yongbong, made with real philosophy, you'll see the difference between real tonkatsu and imitations. Tenderloin aged 200 hours, fried crisp while staying juicy and moist — you can even feel it in the photo. Tonkatsu fans have probably tried this at least once.

'Everything fried is delicious.'

There's a saying like that. And this is tenderloin aged 200 hours, then fried — words fail me... how good could that possibly be, haha. Add juices bursting out with every bite, and it's game over.

A visual that makes you want to run straight to Filling Donkatsu Yongbong right now. Yongbong-dong Filling Donkatsu is a prime example of tonkatsu packed full inside!

Rice and soup come included, so anyone who needs actual rice with their meal (like my husband/me, haha) doesn't have to worry about eating tonkatsu here. With several sauces to choose from, it's fun to mix and match while eating.

After feasting with our eyes first, now it's time to really savor the flavor.

Shrimp pilaf at Filling Donkatsu

Filling Donkatsu Yongbong's shrimp pilaf is a hearty dish with plump shrimp stir-fried until fragrant, packed with flavor. The portion is really generous too.

If there's tonkatsu, there has to be rice too, right? Generous Yongbong-dong Filling Donkatsu doesn't hold back — I loved that they have pilaf in addition to the tonkatsu.

You could really taste the shrimp flavor, which made it even more delicious. The tonkatsu is great on its own, but eating it together with the pilaf made the whole meal even better. There wasn't a single item on the Yongbong-dong Filling Donkatsu menu I wanted to skip, haha.

Filling Donkatsu, the number-one tonkatsu spot in Gwangju. That 'number one' title isn't an exaggeration — every branch delivers great food.

Getting to Filling Donkatsu Yongbong Branch and where to park

The now-familiar Filling Donkatsu character, haha. The bright yellow background really stands out, so it's easy to find.

Check for the place coupon before you head in :)

Parking is convenient too at Filling Donkatsu Yongbong.

Double the kindness, a hundred times the flavor! No matter how friendly a place is, if the food isn't good, you won't come back.

If there was any problem with the food, I'll pay for it myself.

That single line really builds trust in Filling Donkatsu Yongbong. If you're looking for a good restaurant in Yongbong-dong or a tonkatsu spot in Gwangju, give Filling Donkatsu Yongbong Branch a try :) Really delicious tonkatsu is waiting for you.