# Gongdeok Station Korean restaurant for family gatherings: Usu Lunch C - By Hyeonseo (https://superchart.com/en/@after-trying-it/) - Written Aug 26, 2026 - Local places › Restaurants › Mapo, Seoul - Sponsored: This is a visit record written after receiving a complimentary meal from the restaurant. - English edition: https://superchart.com/en/@after-trying-it/gongdeok-woosoo-lunch-c-course-hanwoo-room/ - Also in: [한국어](https://superchart.com/ko/@after-trying-it/gongdeok-woosoo-lunch-c-course-hanwoo-room/index.md) ## In short Usu is an all-private-room hanwoo (Korean beef) course restaurant in the basement of the Lotte Castle President building near Gongdeok Station Exit 2 in Mapo, Seoul. The Lunch C course came out in order: woo-gyejin-juk (beef and chicken porridge), three bite-sized dishes, shiitake shrimp with zucchini, five-color gardenia noodles with abalone, seasonal fish pot rice, tabletop-grilled hanwoo with a seaweed soup rice set, and a corn dessert. Between the location, the private rooms and the range of the course, Usu fits family gatherings and meeting-the-parents lunches alike. ## Good to know - **Location**: Near Gongdeok Station Exit 2 — Room 201, B2, Lotte Castle President commercial building, 109 Mapo-daero, Mapo-gu, Seoul - **Seating**: Every seat is in a private room - **Course eaten that day**: Lunch C course - **Course lineup**: Woo-gyejin-juk (beef and chicken porridge), three bite-sized dishes, shiitake shrimp with zucchini, five-color gardenia noodles with abalone, seasonal fish pot rice, tabletop-grilled hanwoo with seaweed soup rice set, dessert *as written by the visitor on Aug 26, 2026* Hi, this is Nwit :) These days, when I'm looking for a place for a family gathering or an important meal, I end up checking all sorts of things carefully — not just the food, but the location, how comfortable the seating is, the overall dining atmosphere, and more. Usu, which I visited this time, was satisfying on every one of those points. :) It's close to Exit 2 of Gongdeok Station, so it was easy to get to by public transit, and best of all, every seat is a private room, so I could enjoy the meal comfortably and at ease the whole time. That day I had the Lunch C course, and with hanwoo (Korean beef) as the main event, it also included a variety of bite-sized dishes, noodles, and pot rice served one after another beforehand — a varied and satisfying meal overall. ## Where is Usu? Right by Gongdeok Station Exit 2 Usu is located close to Exit 2 of Gongdeok Station. I liked the location from the start. Before my visit, they even gave me detailed directions to the parking lot. ![The way to Usu near Gongdeok Station Exit 2](https://img.superchart.com/images/gongdeok-woosoo-lunch-c-course-hanwoo-room/gongdeok-woosoo-lunch-c-course-hanwoo-room-01-1vg5v-966.webp) ![Directions to Usu inside the Lotte Castle President commercial building basement](https://img.superchart.com/images/gongdeok-woosoo-lunch-c-course-hanwoo-room/gongdeok-woosoo-lunch-c-course-hanwoo-room-02-16nwn-966.webp) ![The entrance to Usu in Gongdeok](https://img.superchart.com/images/gongdeok-woosoo-lunch-c-course-hanwoo-room/gongdeok-woosoo-lunch-c-course-hanwoo-room-03-s2tna-966.webp) Especially for occasions like meeting-the-parents dinners or family gatherings where you're with older relatives, the journey to the restaurant matters too, right? ![A table inside one of Usu's private rooms](https://img.superchart.com/images/gongdeok-woosoo-lunch-c-course-hanwoo-room/gongdeok-woosoo-lunch-c-course-hanwoo-room-04-vhat2-966.webp) So if you're looking for a Gongdeok restaurant, or a spot to visit with parents or older family members, this is a big plus. :) ## Why all-private-room seating suits a family gathering One of the things I liked most about Usu was that every seat is a private room! Dining in a separate, independent space made for a much more relaxed and quiet time. It was great for conversation over the meal, but also perfect for occasions where you need to have an important talk. Personally, I thought this kind of atmosphere would work well not just for family gatherings or anniversaries, but also as a meeting-the-parents venue. ## The ingredient showcase Usu presents before the meal Before the food is properly prepared, Usu shows you the ingredients that will be used in that day's course in a display case. ![The ingredient display case for the Usu Lunch C course](https://img.superchart.com/images/gongdeok-woosoo-lunch-c-course-hanwoo-room/gongdeok-woosoo-lunch-c-course-hanwoo-room-05-113dw-1200.webp) Rather than just waiting for the food to arrive, knowing in advance what ingredients would go into what dish made enjoying the course even more fun! ![A staff member explaining the course ingredients](https://img.superchart.com/images/gongdeok-woosoo-lunch-c-course-hanwoo-room/gongdeok-woosoo-lunch-c-course-hanwoo-room-06-r0a7q-966.webp) ![Hanwoo and vegetables in the display case](https://img.superchart.com/images/gongdeok-woosoo-lunch-c-course-hanwoo-room/gongdeok-woosoo-lunch-c-course-hanwoo-room-07-agc18-966.webp) This kind of thoughtful explanation built up my anticipation for the meal from the very start. ## First course: woo-gyejin-juk, Usu's beef and chicken porridge The first item on the Lunch C course was woo-gyejin-juk. ![The first dish of the Usu lunch course, woo-gyejin-juk](https://img.superchart.com/images/gongdeok-woosoo-lunch-c-course-hanwoo-room/gongdeok-woosoo-lunch-c-course-hanwoo-room-08-2aylu-966.webp) It used both hanwoo bone broth and chicken stock together, topped with nurungji (scorched rice), a scallion crust, shiitake mushroom, asparagus, and maebokyi mushroom. Maybe because it was the first dish, I liked that it wasn't too strong-flavored and let me start off light and clean. ![A bowl of woo-gyejin-juk with nurungji](https://img.superchart.com/images/gongdeok-woosoo-lunch-c-course-hanwoo-room/gongdeok-woosoo-lunch-c-course-hanwoo-room-09-5rjtf-966.webp) Perhaps because of the combined hanwoo bone broth and chicken stock, the broth had a subtle depth of flavor, and with the nurungji mixed in, it felt gentle and settling on the stomach! ## Three bite-sized dishes, each with its own character Next came three bite-sized dishes! The one with hanwoo bulgogi, mushroom duxelles, and truffle cream cheese on brioche had hanwoo bulgogi tucked between soft bread — familiar at first, but the truffle cream cheese gave it a slightly different edge. (Conclusion = very delicious, haha) ![Gongdeok family gathering restaurant with seasonal fish pot rice and woo-gyejin-juk Lunch C, Usu](https://img.superchart.com/images/gongdeok-woosoo-lunch-c-course-hanwoo-room/gongdeok-woosoo-lunch-c-course-hanwoo-room-10-1dvto-966.webp) Next was a dish where the aroma of grilled seaweed, the sweetness of sweet shrimp, and the savory flavor of abalone innard rice all came together — finished off with a refreshing citron sauce that made a strong impression. ![A bite-sized dish with sweet shrimp and abalone innard rice](https://img.superchart.com/images/gongdeok-woosoo-lunch-c-course-hanwoo-room/gongdeok-woosoo-lunch-c-course-hanwoo-room-11-1e1l8-966.webp) ![A plate of the bite-sized dish topped with citron sauce](https://img.superchart.com/images/gongdeok-woosoo-lunch-c-course-hanwoo-room/gongdeok-woosoo-lunch-c-course-hanwoo-room-12-bih6p-966.webp) ![Plating of the three bite-sized dishes](https://img.superchart.com/images/gongdeok-woosoo-lunch-c-course-hanwoo-room/gongdeok-woosoo-lunch-c-course-hanwoo-room-13-nsrgu-966.webp) Rather than all three tasting similar, each had different ingredients and sauces, so every bite felt like something new. They even walked us through the order to eat them in, and following that order really did let us taste the food more fully. ## Shiitake shrimp with zucchini The shiitake shrimp with zucchini that came out next was also memorable. Centered on shrimp and shiitake mushroom, it was rounded out with zucchini, tofu, aged kimchi, and golden enoki mushroom, along with peanut tofu sauce and wild chive oil. ![The shiitake shrimp with zucchini dish](https://img.superchart.com/images/gongdeok-woosoo-lunch-c-course-hanwoo-room/gongdeok-woosoo-lunch-c-course-hanwoo-room-14-b04k2-966.webp) The distinctive aroma of the shiitake mushroom paired well with the savory shrimp, and with the zucchini and tofu, it was overall a soft, easy dish to eat. :) ## Five-color gardenia noodles with abalone, pretty enough to photograph The five-color gardenia noodles with abalone were genuinely gorgeous in color! It came with black sesame julienned radish, bracken fern, shiitake mushroom, seasoned wild chives, perilla leaves, and abalone, with the gardenia noodles finished with gamtae (sea lettuce) dressing and a mustard-garlic sauce. The distinct aroma of the gamtae combined with the pungent kick of the mustard-garlic sauce really woke up the palate. ## Seasonal fish pot rice, the filling part of Lunch C Next came the seasonal fish pot rice. ![Seasonal fish pot rice served in the pot](https://img.superchart.com/images/gongdeok-woosoo-lunch-c-course-hanwoo-room/gongdeok-woosoo-lunch-c-course-hanwoo-room-15-zldvl-966.webp) The seasonal fish is arranged beautifully in the pot, and they transferred it to a bowl for us afterward to make it easier to eat, which was a nice touch. ![Seasonal fish pot rice transferred into a bowl](https://img.superchart.com/images/gongdeok-woosoo-lunch-c-course-hanwoo-room/gongdeok-woosoo-lunch-c-course-hanwoo-room-16-5089x-966.webp) The nutty aroma unique to pot rice paired well with the clean flavor of the fish, and having a fish pot rice alongside a hanwoo-centered course made the whole lineup feel really varied. ## The main of Usu's Lunch C: hanwoo grilled on a personal brazier Finally, the main course — grilled hanwoo with a rice-and-side-dish set — arrived. ![The Usu Lunch C grilled hanwoo and side dish set](https://img.superchart.com/images/gongdeok-woosoo-lunch-c-course-hanwoo-room/gongdeok-woosoo-lunch-c-course-hanwoo-room-17-1jw8z-966.webp) I especially liked that you grill the hanwoo yourself on a personal tabletop grill, so you can cook it exactly to your liking. ![Hanwoo grilling on the personal tabletop grill](https://img.superchart.com/images/gongdeok-woosoo-lunch-c-course-hanwoo-room/gongdeok-woosoo-lunch-c-course-hanwoo-room-18-eodxi-966.webp) The hanwoo was fresh, so of course it was savory — and with the seaweed soup rice set and seasonal fish pot rice alongside it, the meal was genuinely filling! ## Corn dessert: Usu's better-than-expected finish The meal ended with dessert. ![A plate of corn ice cream dessert](https://img.superchart.com/images/gongdeok-woosoo-lunch-c-course-hanwoo-room/gongdeok-woosoo-lunch-c-course-hanwoo-room-19-xuzua-966.webp) It was made up of corn ice cream, corn cream cheese, apricot, corn crumble, sponge cake, and green citron cream sauce! ![The corn dessert with green citron cream sauce](https://img.superchart.com/images/gongdeok-woosoo-lunch-c-course-hanwoo-room/gongdeok-woosoo-lunch-c-course-hanwoo-room-20-1slhp-966.webp) You could taste the nutty sweetness of the corn, and with the green citron cream sauce added on top, it finished refreshingly — it was so good I felt like I could eat ten of them, haha. ## From family gatherings to anniversaries: the occasions Usu suits Personally, this didn't feel like a simple meal but more like slowly experiencing an entire course. ![The private room table after finishing the course](https://img.superchart.com/images/gongdeok-woosoo-lunch-c-course-hanwoo-room/gongdeok-woosoo-lunch-c-course-hanwoo-room-21-o541k-966.webp) So I think it would suit anyone looking for a Korean set-course restaurant in Seoul, or a meeting-the-parents restaurant in Seoul. ![A private room seating area suited to family gatherings at Usu](https://img.superchart.com/images/gongdeok-woosoo-lunch-c-course-hanwoo-room/gongdeok-woosoo-lunch-c-course-hanwoo-room-22-nc2h4-966.webp) It seems especially satisfying for meals with parents, family gatherings, anniversaries — days when you want something a bit more special. ![Lighting and table setting inside a Usu private room](https://img.superchart.com/images/gongdeok-woosoo-lunch-c-course-hanwoo-room/gongdeok-woosoo-lunch-c-course-hanwoo-room-23-17iwp-966.webp) ![The atmosphere at Usu in Gongdeok](https://img.superchart.com/images/gongdeok-woosoo-lunch-c-course-hanwoo-room/gongdeok-woosoo-lunch-c-course-hanwoo-room-24-f2ssg-966.webp) If you're looking for a place near Gongdeok Station for an important meal, be sure to consider Usu — the location, the private rooms, and the variety of the course all made it a genuinely convenient choice! ## Where it is - Usu (우수) - Room 201, B2, Lotte Castle President commercial building, 109 Mapo-daero, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea - 서울특별시 마포구 마포대로 109 롯데캐슬프레지던트 상가 지하2층 201호 - 37.5446186, 126.9503453 - Google Maps: https://www.google.com/maps/search/%EC%9A%B0%EC%88%98/@37.5446186,126.9503453,17z --- Superchart · https://superchart.com/en/@after-trying-it/gongdeok-woosoo-lunch-c-course-hanwoo-room/ · https://superchart.com/llms.txt