Hongdae pork cutlet restaurant with a generous solo set: Katsu Monster

Katsu Monster for a solo meal in Yeonnam-dong

It had been a while since I last went out around Hongdae. I went alone for a meal that day, and I kept thinking this would be such a nice place for a date too. Pork cutlet fans, take note!

The place I visited was Katsu Monster Yeonnam Main Branch (카츠몬스터 연남본점). It sits in the middle of Yeonnam-dong, so it was not hard to find~ It is such a happening spot that it was perfect for looking around the neighborhood on the way!

The exterior, a walk from Hongik University Station

Katsu Monster is an 8–10-minute walk from Exit 3 of Hongik University Station. It is tucked a little way in, so I recommend turning on your map~ I visited on a weekday, and there were quite a few students. There were international visitors too, and delivery orders kept coming in.

I liked that I could look over the full menu board before going in~ I had checked the menu briefly before visiting too, and the hire katsu was a popular item!

Indoor seats that work for solo dining

Maybe because I avoided peak hours, there were only around two parties that day. There were group tables inside, and wall-side bar tables set up for solo diners~

I was visiting alone, so a staff member showed me to the wall side. I was right under a speaker, but it was not too loud, and the playlist was so good that I enjoyed my meal in a great mood the whole time.

To enjoy the pork cutlet properly, you need to get the sauces in front of you all set up.

Kiosk ordering and the pork cutlet menu

You can order at the kiosk right in front of you. You can pay by card there too, so you can take care of everything from your seat.

Looking through the menu, the popular item was hire katsu (pork tenderloin cutlet). It seems lots of people order it because it is so tender. They also had gabrisal, a cut of pork from the neck area. I was really curious about that too.

If you want to try every kind of pork cutlet, there is also assorted katsu. The menu is nicely put together so you can try loin plus tenderloin, loin plus cheese, or tenderloin plus cheese. I was curious about the triple katsu too, but it looked like too much for me alone, so I ordered the solo set. In the end, the hire katsu I ordered was incredible. If you are deciding what to get, I totally recommend the hire katsu!

A solo set upgraded with hire katsu

I ordered the solo set. I upgraded the cutlet to hire katsu (+₩2,000), and I actually wanted cold soba, but somehow I selected that one and hot udon came out. Hahahaha.

While waiting for the food, I watched a video on how to enjoy Katsu Monster. It showed ways to eat it with different sauces and accompaniments, and I definitely think it made it even tastier.

The hire katsu arrived freshly fried with fresh cabbage, and the portion was substantial~~ haha. I ate such a huge meal here that day that I was still full by dinner, so I skipped it.

It was udon in a solo set, so I thought there would only be a little, but way more came than I expected—I was shocked. It is a solo set, but honestly, two people could eat it too.. haha.

I am a soup person, so having the udon broth with pork cutlet was such a good combination. It also had plenty of eomuk (fish cake), so I ate very satisfyingly. The noodles were cooked just right too, without getting mushy.

The solo set also comes with rice and soup separately. The portions here are generous as a rule!

Crisp outside, juicy pork tenderloin katsu

And here is the main event: the pork tenderloin katsu. I had been craving pork cutlet for days, and the tenderloin inside was so juicy and soft that my teeth went straight through it.

As expected of tenderloin, it was not dry at all, and the texture was a work of art. Crisp on the outside and properly juicy inside. First, dip it only in salt; then have it with sauce and wasabi—so good!

Paired with the cabbage salad, the crunch and tenderness worked beautifully together, and I finished every last piece.

Kimchi was the side dish, and I kept reaching for it. There was also gangjeong, a sweet crispy snack, for dessert; it was wonderfully nutty and just right as a sweet finish.

I was dining alone that day, and the woman next to me was eating alone too. The atmosphere is great for a solo meal, and I highly recommend Katsu Monster to anyone looking for tender hire katsu or a satisfying solo set in Yeonnam-dong.