Gangnam restaurant for solo gyukatsu and steki: Ichigyu

A comfortable solo meal at Ichigyu near Sinnonhyeon

I went to Ichigyu, a great restaurant in Sinnonhyeon, and enjoyed a meal by myself! The cozy space made eating alone comfortable, and I noticed plenty of other solo diners too. I had been to this chain restaurant a few times, so it felt familiar to me.

I visited using a discounted meal voucher, and I paid personally for anything beyond what was provided.

The address is 19 Bongeunsa-ro 4-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, and it is on the second floor of the building. Hours are 11:00–21:30, with a break time from 15:00–17:00. There were high chairs, and having the restroom inside the restaurant was convenient. Since it is in Gangnam, of course it was easy to reach by public transit. You can take an express bus or the subway.

The lighting was pleasantly soft, and the seating was mostly tables for two and four. Office workers from companies near Sinnonhyeon Station came for lunch, and there were lots of couples on dates too. I sat at a table that looked like it would photograph the food well.

Ordering gyukatsu and steki

Ichigyu is a Sinnonhyeon favorite for gyukatsu (breaded beef cutlet), and steki was another menu option. I decided to order both this time. Extra gyukatsu or steki meat costs ₩14,000. Adding Isigny butter or a fried egg costs ₩1,000. They also had hamburger steak omurice, chop steak, and Japanese curry. The mini curry was ₩5,000, and if I remember correctly, it contained minced meat, making it the kind of dish that goes nicely with rice.

I like highballs, but since I had bought Suntory whisky for home, I ordered a 420 ml Kirin draft beer today. I had wanted to try it anyway. It comes in two sizes: 200 ml and 420 ml.

If you join the receipt-review event, you can receive complimentary fried shrimp. Ask a staff member!

When you order, they bring out the rice first, and you can ask for more if you need it. A staff member lit the mini brazier on my table.

The extra portion of gyukatsu meat and the Isigny butter arrived. I was already excited to grill it as soon as it came out!

The miso soup was soothing too.

Jumbo steki and Kirin draft beer

I ordered the steki as a jumbo set. There was so much food that it felt like I had come to a meat buffet today, and I was glad I had skipped breakfast before visiting!

I put the Isigny butter on the grill over the brazier.

It was my first time trying steki, but it felt like grilled beef, so I had no hesitation even though it was new to me. It seemed like it would pair well as a beer snack. It was strip loin, with a moderate amount of marbling, so it was easy to enjoy without feeling heavy. It was neither too dry nor too fatty—just nicely balanced.

Whenever I needed something brothy while drinking, I got a refill of miso soup. The Kirin draft beer tasted a little crisper than when I drink it from a can at home. It paired well with the gyukatsu and went down lightly. I think having a drink alone while eating out is nicer than drinking alone at home.

Ichigyu is a great Sinnonhyeon restaurant for having a solo drink with gyukatsu as your snack.

The gyukatsu was crispy and juicy. To enjoy its natural flavor, you can dip it in salt, but I tried it with both the sauce and salt.

Trying steki, a new food for me, made today feel worthwhile. If you are looking for a great Sinnonhyeon spot where you can eat alone, visit Ichigyu! You should be able to have a comfortable meal in its cozy setting.