Seongsu solo dining seat for striploin gyukatsu, self-grilled: Gyuen

Gyuen Dang Seongsu Main Branch location — 5 minutes from Seongsu Station Exit 3

Gyuen Dang Seongsu Main Branch, a Seongsu gyukatsu spot, sits 5 minutes from Seongsu Station Exit 3 at 315-46 Seongsu-dong 2-ga, Seongdong-gu, Seoul. It's tucked in the alley off the main Seongsu street, toward Jayeondo Salt Bread — a friend and I went there craving something in the katsu family! The location was pretty easy to find.

Walking down an alley with Seongsu's signature old-school charm and looking up to the 2nd floor, a wall packed with Japanese lettering greets you. Since gyukatsu has a different appeal from tonkatsu (pork cutlet), I was excited to try the Seongsu branch.

Store atmosphere and solo seating

At Gyuen Dang Seongsu Main Branch, the interior matched the menu well. The overall Japanese-style decor naturally set the mood for eating gyukatsu, and rather than feeling overdone, it was clean while still having atmosphere. Solo seating is available too, which looked good for anyone searching for a place to eat alone in Seongsu. The layout doesn't feel awkward for solo dining, so it seems like a place you could visit without hesitation on a day you want gyukatsu by yourself in Seongsu.

Menu — more than just gyukatsu, with rice bowls and omurice

Seongsu has so many cafés and dessert spots that finding an actual meal can sometimes be the hard part. On a day you want meat or already love gyukatsu, Gyuen Dang Seongsu Main Branch seems like a great choice. The menu isn't just gyukatsu — there are also rice bowls and omurice, so my friend ordered the steki rice bowl and I ordered the striploin gyukatsu.

Striploin or tenderloin — which to choose

The difference between striploin and tenderloin is the same as when grilling beef at a Korean BBQ — striploin is a bit cheaper with more chew, tenderloin is pricier and softer. I prefer the aroma and texture of meat staying alive, like a steak, and I usually rank striploin > tenderloin > sirloin in preference, so I went with striploin for the fried version too haha.

Striploin gyukatsu, grilled myself on a personal stove

You can grill it yourself on a personal tabletop stove, heated with solid fuel — if the flame dies down, call a staff member and they'll put in a fresh one.

Gyukatsu is a dish meant to be eaten crispy outside and moist inside, which I already tend to like — but what stood out about this Seongsu gyukatsu spot was being able to pair it with Isigny butter. With a little butter melted on top, the meat's flavor deepened and the savory taste really came alive — a totally different feeling from eating it plain!

How was the steki rice bowl

The steki rice bowl we ordered together was also satisfying. It came generously topped with meat over rice, so it was filling as a full meal, and it let us enjoy beef in a different texture from the gyukatsu — glad we ordered both. It came topped with fried shiitake mushroom as a highlight, and my friend gave me the whole thing, so I gratefully devoured it haha.

The striploin gyukatsu at Gyuen Dang Seongsu Main Branch had a texture that was tender yet still had some bite, and the crispy coating outside went well with the moist inside. Being able to grill it to your own preferred doneness, I ate it slowly piece by piece, but it was so soft it practically melted away, ugh. Adding Isigny butter deepened the flavor even more, and personally I thought it paired really well. I liked that instead of just switching sauces, the butter let me change up the flavor in a different way.

In summary

Gyuen Dang Seongsu Main Branch, a Seongsu gyukatsu spot, was a place where the Japanese-style atmosphere, solo seating, and the combo of striploin gyukatsu and steki rice bowl all worked well together. Crispy outside, moist inside gyukatsu... if you're craving gyukatsu in Seongsu or looking for a Seongsu gyukatsu spot where you can eat comfortably alone, I'll be coming back here.