Mapo Korean BBQ with slushy soju: Usijang Hoegwan

Today, I’m sharing my visit to Usijang Hoegwan (우시장회관) in Mapo, a great spot for delicious meat and a drink. There are lots of neat, stylish restaurants these days, but sometimes you just want to eat comfortably and have a drink somewhere with that old-school local-restaurant feeling, you know? Usijang Hoegwan had exactly that kind of atmosphere!

Usijang Hoegwan Visit Information

• Location: 1F, 15-10 Samgae-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• Hours: Daily 10:00–22:00
• Break time: 15:00–17:00
• I recommend checking the hours and parking information before visiting!

An Old-School Feel in Mapo

The first thing I noticed when I walked in was the comfortable atmosphere that old local restaurants have. Rather than feeling neat and modern like a newly opened restaurant, it had the feeling of a place that had been doing business in the same spot for a long time, which made it feel even more welcoming.

The music playing inside also quietly added to the mood. Instead of current songs, nostalgic old tunes were playing, which made listening while we ate fun. In an atmosphere like this, it felt like meat and a drink just had to go together! Haha.

Ordering the Three-Person Set at the Kiosk

You can order at the kiosk. After taking our time looking through the menu, we chose the three-person set that day. I liked that it was not just meat: it also came with yuk sashimi (Korean-style raw beef) and gukbap (rice soup), so we could try several things at once.

A Generous Full Table

After ordering and waiting a little, the full spread arrived. The three-person set we ordered included meat, yuk sashimi, and gukbap.

I also liked that there was a variety of banchan (Korean side dishes) alongside the meat. Having several sides to enjoy with it made it fun to try this and that together.

Meat Grilled Right Over Charcoal

The meat was definitely the star! As we put it on the charcoal grill and cooked it ourselves, the delicious smell started rising right away and made me want to dig in quickly. Grilling meat over charcoal gives it a subtle smoky flavor, and because we cooked it at the table, we could eat it straight away while it was hot.

Yuk Sashimi and Gukbap Too

It might have felt a little lacking if we had eaten only meat, but since the set also included yuk sashimi and gukbap, we were able to taste a variety of dishes.

The yuk sashimi offered a different texture from the grilled meat, so it was nice to have between bites of charcoal-grilled meat. The seasoning was the kicker!

When you’re eating meat and having a drink, you start craving something warm and brothy. Since gukbap was included in the set, it made for a satisfying finish.

Help Yourself at the Self-Serve Corner

There was also a self-serve corner on one side of the restaurant. It was convenient to get more side dishes or anything else we needed ourselves as we ate, and it meant we could use it without feeling awkward about repeatedly asking the staff for more.

Slushy Soju You Could Only Find Here

And one of the most fun parts of the day! There was a separate refrigerator for alcohol in the restaurant. When we ordered drinks, a staff member made the slushy soju themselves and brought it out.

It looked refreshing from the start, with what seemed like a light layer of icy slush, and it went really well with the meat.

And instead of plain bottled water, they had roasted sicklepod tea ready for us. It may seem like a small thing, but I really liked that little touch. 🍵

For When You Want Meat With an Old-School Feel

Usijang Hoegwan in Mapo had a charmingly comfortable, welcoming atmosphere that felt distinct from the neat, stylish restaurants you see everywhere these days. With a set, you can enjoy charcoal-grilled meat, yuk sashimi, and gukbap all together, and the side dishes were plentiful too, so it is a good place to visit with several people for a generous meal. More than anything, grilling meat over charcoal as old songs played and having a cold slushy soju just made it such a cheerful time. 🍻