Balsan Station Japanese restaurant with rice refills: Ichigyu

Gyukatsu close to Balsan Station

If you’re looking for delicious gyukatsu near Balsan Station, give this place a try~! Ichigyu Balsan Station Branch is on the second floor at 797-14 Magok-dong, Gangseo-gu, Seoul, and is open daily from 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Break time is 3–5 p.m., and parking is available too.

Ichigyu Balsan Station Branch is on the second floor! Just head inside. It’s a two-minute walk from Exit 1 of Balsan Station, so it’s super easy to reach by public transit and a perfect meeting spot too!

Crayon Shin-chan figures greeted us on the way in, haha.

The atmosphere is packed with Japanese-style charm!

We came after 7 p.m., a little past weekday dinner rush, and it was nice and relaxed! Everything was clean, with mostly tables for two and four.

Menu and QR ordering

The gyukatsu set meal is ₩19,500, and you can add extra meat! There are plenty of gyukatsu choices, so it’s great for a group too.

There are set menus with drinks included too, so keep that in mind!!

Once seated, you can easily order by mobile QR code—no need to call over a staff member!

Jumbo and regular gyukatsu

The rice came out first, and this is how it was served! It was my first time seeing rice presented like this, so I thought it was really cool. Rice refills are available.

Since we ordered a set, drinks came out like this! They thoughtfully gave us cups of ice too~~

The jumbo gyukatsu came out first! It’s seriously a huge portion!! There were one adult woman and two men in our group, and sharing one regular gyukatsu, one jumbo gyukatsu, and stekki-don was just the right amount~~

You could tell they had put thought into every detail, from the bowls to the utensils! Everything was served so neatly that the meal felt even more enjoyable.

The sauces were salt, gyukatsu sauce, chili sauce, and wasabi! And you can’t leave out the cabbage salad~

Grilling one piece at a time on a buttered hot plate

This is the regular gyukatsu! Use the portion as a reference~~ It sizzles—first, spread on the butter and let it melt.

Then place the gyukatsu pieces on top..! They cook faster than you might expect, so check and flip them now and then~~! I think one of gyukatsu’s biggest perks is being able to cook and eat each piece at your own pace~

Dipped generously in sauce with a little wasabi on top, it practically melted in my mouth! Gyukatsu can be greasy at places that don’t do it well, but this wasn’t at all—it suited my taste perfectly~! I got a proper taste of Balsan Station gyukatsu.

Stekki-don loaded with meat

The stekki-don set meal arrived! The basic sides were the same as with the gyukatsu, and you lightly grill the steak before eating it. An egg yolk and soy sauce(?) come separately, so mix them into the rice however you like!

There was so much meat piled over the rice that there was still meat left all the way until I finished the rice!!! The garlic chips on top add savory depth and cut through the richness.

Parking and final thoughts

The restroom is on the same floor of the building, with separate facilities for men and women~! Parking is free for up to two hours!! Tell them your license plate number before you leave.

If you want a neat Japanese-style meal at Balsan Station, I recommend this place! It was clean with a lovely atmosphere, making it such a great spot for a food date, and the owner and staff were so kind that we left after a truly pleasant meal. Would I return? ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️