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Restaurant

A Tonkatsu Restaurant Near Gyeongbokgung Station I've Revisited Several Times

This is an all-time favorite tonkatsu restaurant I've revisited more than 4 times.

WooleeSouth Korea10 photos
The Junkacheu sign is located inside a shopping arcade on Sajik-ro in Jongno. Since there aren't many tables, the wait was quite long.
This is the menu board hanging on the wall at Junkacheu. It lists everything from tonkatsu sets to udon, set meals, and sides, making it fun to choose what to eat.
Tonkatsu, udon, rice, and even danmuji and kkakdugi were served together, filling the table. The two dishes had good balance.
This is the cold soba set ordered at Junkacheu
This is Junkacheu's tenderloin katsu and fish katsu. The moist meat inside the crispy breading looks delicious.
The cross-section of the tenderloin katsu's meat was very thick, and you could see gaps in the cross-section, which made it very tender when chewed.
The fish katsu ordered at Junkacheu in Jongno comes out fried so large it's hard to hold with both hands. Paired with cabbage salad and tartar sauce, it's easy to enjoy without feeling greasy.
This is the cold soba from the cold soba set, and with cool ice added in, the balance was great.
This is the shrimp meatballs from the shrimp meatball set. It wasn't hugely satisfying. It felt like udon egg soup.
It was udon generously topped with fried tofu. A pretty ordinary udon.

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Menu

SET

  • Junkacheu Set (Tenderloin + Shrimp + Cheese + Udon (small) +14,000 won
  • Tenderloin Katsu Set (Tenderloin Katsu (2ea) + Udon (small) 13,000 won
  • Cheese Katsu Set (Cheese Katsu + Udon (small) + Rice)13,000 won
  • Sweet Potato Cheese Tonkatsu Set (Sweet Potato Cheese Katsu 14,000 won
  • Shrimp Katsu Set (Shrimp Katsu + Udon (small) + Rice)13,000 won
  • Fish Katsu Set (Fish Katsu + Udon (small) + Rice)14,000 won
  • Udon Set (Udon + Tenderloin Katsu + Rice)11,000 won
  • Kimchi Udon Set (Kimchi Udon + Tenderloin Katsu + Rice)12,000 won
  • Shrimp Wonton Soup Set (Shrimp Wonton Soup + Tenderloin Kats13,000 won
  • Albap Set (Albap + Tenderloin Katsu + Udon (small))13,000 won

Set Meal

  • Tonkatsu Nabe Set Meal13,000 won
  • Kimchi Cheese Tonkatsu Nabe Set Meal15,000 won

LUNCH

  • Lunch Set (Tenderloin Katsu (1ea) + Udon (small) + Rice)10,000 won

SEASONAL

  • Cold Soba Set (Cold Soba + Tenderloin Katsu)13,000 won

SIDE

  • Tonkatsu (1ea)5,000 won
  • Cheese Katsu (1ea)6,000 won
  • Mini Cheese Stick (1ea)3,000 won
  • Shrimp Katsu (1ea)3,000 won

DRINK

  • Coke (Big Bottle)3,000 won
  • Coke Zero (Big Bottle)3,000 won
  • Asahi5,000 won
  • Cass4,000 won

Prices may have changed since the visit.

This is Junkacheu, which I stopped by for lunch near Gyeongbokgung Station. It's located on basement level 1 of the Jeokseon Hyundai Building, directly connected to Gyeongbokgung Station.

I've visited several times, and I've ordered and eaten the udon set, shrimp wonton set, tenderloin katsu set, and cold soba set.

Since the restaurant is in the basement of the building, the space wasn't particularly spacious. It has an open kitchen, so I could watch the process of frying the tonkatsu right in front of me.

There tends to be a wait during lunchtime, so if you don't time it well, you may have to wait quite a while. Since it's located inside the underground shopping arcade, first-time visitors might find the entrance a bit confusing.

The side dishes like the cold soba or udon were a bit disappointing, but when it comes to the tonkatsu alone, I'd rank it as the best tonkatsu I've tasted to date. It's a place I'd love to visit again.

Detailed ratings

Taste
Value for money
Ambience
Service
Would go again
Yes
🕐 Hours
  • Monday: 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM, 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
  • Tuesday: 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM, 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
  • Wednesday: 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM, 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
  • Thursday: 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM, 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
  • Friday: 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
  • Saturday: 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
  • Sunday: Closed

As of my visit.

Good to know

  • Takeout available