Gwangsan donkatsu for two with leftovers to take home: Jinsim King

A real rarity — leaving the first and youngest behind for a date with just my second kid. I asked what she wanted to eat and she said donkatsu (breaded pork cutlet). Ha! I thought it was just the youngest who loved it, but turns out all my kids are just donkatsu people...

And among donkatsu places, her favorite is Jinsim King Donkatsu. After finishing up other errands near Pyeongdong Station, we headed to this Pyeongdong Station donkatsu favorite, Jinsim King Donkatsu.

Jinsim King Donkatsu Pyeongdong Branch hours and parking

• Hours: Daily 10:00-21:00
• Parking: A large dedicated lot in front of the restaurant, so no worries there

What's on the menu at Jinsim King Donkatsu

Jinsim King Donkatsu Pyeongdong Branch serves everything from donkatsu to jjolmyeon (chewy cold noodles), kalguksu (knife-cut noodles), naengmyeon (cold noodles), rice bowls, and nabe hot pot. As a large chain, the quality is basically guaranteed, making it an easy pick for eating out.

Getting to the Pyeongdong Station branch and where to park

Parking was a breeze thanks to the large dedicated lot at Jinsim King Donkatsu Pyeongdong Branch. Finding the entrance can be a bit tricky, so just trust your navigation app. As you follow the directions, you'll see a sign pointing the way to Jinsim King Donkatsu — follow the arrow on that sign and voila, a big parking lot appears. Nice that it wasn't too chaotic.

Inside the restaurant: best seats with a child

With customers streaming in and taking seats nonstop, it was hard to get a full shot of the whole place, so I grabbed photos whenever there was a gap. The restaurant is very spacious with plenty of tables — 2-person, 4-person, and group seating are all available. A baby chair is on hand too, making Jinsim King Donkatsu perfect for a family meal out with kids.

Self-bar wrap greens and soup

Jinsim King Donkatsu means wrapping your bites in lettuce. The wrap vegetables at the self-bar were fresh and in great condition. I only took as much as I'd actually eat, so nothing went to waste. You can always go back for more, so just take what you need.

Kids' cutlery, scissors, and tongs are also provided. Since it's such a huge cutlet, cutting it with a knife can really test your patience. It's much easier to just snip it up with the scissors.

You can't have donkatsu without soup. The soup is also self-serve, take as much as you like — though one bowl felt like plenty, otherwise you'll be too full.

Okay, order placed, now to wait for the food. We ordered two dishes: jjolmyeon with cheese donkatsu, and Jinsim King Donkatsu. We wanted to try jjolmyeon, cheese donkatsu, and the classic donkatsu all at once, so my daughter and I put our heads together and settled on this combo.

Jinsim King Donkatsu (10,900 won)

This is truly a king-sized cutlet. Even the cucumber pepper on the side is a pretty long one. Photos don't really capture it, but in person it's genuinely enormous.

Made only with fresh Korean pork loin and fried the traditional handmade way, it can't not be delicious. The sauce in particular is amazing — apparently it's a patented house-made secret sauce. So whenever I'm packing leftovers, I always make sure to pack the sauce too. Even doused in sauce, the crunch holds up, so when eating with the kids I don't bother asking for it on the side. (You can request it on the side and they'll bring it separately.)

Delicious plain, delicious wrapped in greens, delicious with jjolmyeon — the textbook definition of great donkatsu. Jinsim King Donkatsu.

Jjol Cheese Donkatsu (19,900 won)

A menu that lets you enjoy jjolmyeon and cheese donkatsu together. Donkatsu and jjolmyeon are a match made in heaven, no need to say more! True to its name as a cheese-waterfall donkatsu, cheese comes pouring out the moment you cut into it. This is what a cheese donkatsu should be~ Wow 👍👍

The jjolmyeon wasn't spicy either, so it's great for kids, and with plenty of vegetables it pairs really well with the donkatsu.

Packing the leftover donkatsu at the self-packing counter

We almost never finish everything when we come to Jinsim King Donkatsu. This time too, we grabbed containers at the self-packing counter and packed away diligently. That leftover cutlet ended up being the youngest's dinner that night. Two birds, one stone, nice one! Hahahahaha

There are several branches of this chain, but the easy parking, friendly owner, and clean interior make Jinsim King Donkatsu Pyeongdong Branch one I want to visit again. Worth recommending as a lunch spot near Pyeongdong Station.