# Mapo Korean restaurant with a plated Dinner B Course: Usu - By Moru (https://superchart.com/en/@banchan-side-stories/) - Written Sep 10, 2026 - Local places › Restaurants › Mapo, Seoul - Sponsored: This post was written with support for a visit to the restaurant. - English edition: https://superchart.com/en/@banchan-side-stories/gongdeok-private-room-hanwoo-course-woosu/ - Also in: [한국어](https://superchart.com/ko/@banchan-side-stories/gongdeok-private-room-hanwoo-course-woosu/index.md) ## In short Usu is a Korean restaurant in Mapo, Seoul, serving Hanwoo course meals in fully private rooms. I tried the 109,000-won Dinner B Course, from porridge and small bites through seafood, grilled beef, a rice set, and dessert. Verdict: a lovely choice for a quiet, celebratory dinner. ## Good to know - **Location**: 201, B2, Lotte Castle President Shopping Arcade, 109 Mapo-daero, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea; in front of Gongdeok Station Exit 2 - **Hours**: Daily 11:00–22:00; break time 15:00–17:00; open year-round - **Seating**: All seats are private rooms; group seating available - **Parking**: Spacious parking lot; 3 hours free - **Corkage**: Corkage free - **Dinner B Course**: ₩109,000 per person; 90 g Hanwoo *as written by the visitor on Sep 10, 2026* I wanted to enjoy dinner somewhere with a lovely atmosphere, so I took the chance to visit Usu (우수) near Gongdeok Station. It is a place where you can enjoy a Korean course meal, with everything from small bites and seafood to grilled Hanwoo and a rice set arriving in sequence. Each dish was plated so beautifully too, so it was fun waiting to see what would come next haha. ![Signature Hanwoo course meal at Usu in Gongdeok](https://img.superchart.com/images/gongdeok-private-room-hanwoo-course-woosu/gongdeok-private-room-hanwoo-course-woosu-01-1292c-1200.webp) ## Getting to Usu in front of Gongdeok Station ![Directions to Usu in front of Gongdeok Station](https://img.superchart.com/images/gongdeok-private-room-hanwoo-course-woosu/gongdeok-private-room-hanwoo-course-woosu-02-11nci-900.webp) It is on B2 of Lotte Castle President, right in front of Gongdeok Station Exit 2, so it was really easy to reach by public transport. ![Usu's location in the basement of Lotte Castle President](https://img.superchart.com/images/gongdeok-private-room-hanwoo-course-woosu/gongdeok-private-room-hanwoo-course-woosu-03-mmvu5-900.webp) ![Inside the building leading down to Usu](https://img.superchart.com/images/gongdeok-private-room-hanwoo-course-woosu/gongdeok-private-room-hanwoo-course-woosu-04-14rvn-900.webp) Even if you drive, there is a spacious parking lot and three hours of free parking, so you can take your time over the meal. I went down on the escalator inside the building 🙌 And here is Usu :) ## An atmosphere of fully private rooms ![Private room interior at Usu's Gongdeok branch](https://img.superchart.com/images/gongdeok-private-room-hanwoo-course-woosu/gongdeok-private-room-hanwoo-course-woosu-05-1gb7y-900.webp) The calm, refined atmosphere struck me as soon as I entered. Usu's Gongdeok branch is a private-room restaurant where every seat is in its own room. Since it is an independent space with a door that closes fully, we could eat and chat comfortably without worrying about the next table. It really has that polished Seoul dining feel! The rooms are tidy and calm too, so I think it would suit a family meal with parents, a formal meeting between families, or a wedding-anniversary dinner. :) ## Dinner B Course lineup and price There are lunch and dinner courses. ![Usu lunch and dinner course menu](https://img.superchart.com/images/gongdeok-private-room-hanwoo-course-woosu/gongdeok-private-room-hanwoo-course-woosu-06-1dnx4-784.webp) ![Usu dinner course menu information](https://img.superchart.com/images/gongdeok-private-room-hanwoo-course-woosu/gongdeok-private-room-hanwoo-course-woosu-07-1xv8g-759.webp) - Dinner B Course: ₩109,000 per person / 90 g Hanwoo - Ugyey jinjuk porridge, three small bites: bulgogi sandwich, sweet shrimp gimbugak, and scallop baekhap - Shiitake shrimp and zucchini, Hanwoo yukhoe gamtae, Jeju tilefish, and 1++ Hanwoo tteokgalbi - Abalone five-color gardenia noodles, grilled Hanwoo and a rice set, dessert We tried the Dinner B Course that day. It is a course in which dishes combining Korean cooking with varied ingredients and techniques arrive one after another, followed by grilled Hanwoo, a meal, and dessert. So today, I am going to eat and judge it like a Culinary Class Wars judge 😋 ![Introduction to Dinner B Course ingredients](https://img.superchart.com/images/gongdeok-private-room-hanwoo-course-woosu/gongdeok-private-room-hanwoo-course-woosu-08-ifw3g-900.webp) Before the course begins, they show you the ingredients used in that day's dishes. From Hanwoo and abalone to tilefish, shrimp, shiitake mushrooms, and caviar—such luxurious ingredients, right?! 👀 ![Warm ugyey jinjuk at the start of the course](https://img.superchart.com/images/gongdeok-private-room-hanwoo-course-woosu/gongdeok-private-room-hanwoo-course-woosu-09-1tc41-900.webp) ### A warm start with ugyey jinjuk The course began with warm ugyey jinjuk, a porridge richly simmered with chicken and beef. It felt like a gentle way to settle the stomach before the meal properly began. Starting warmly from the very first dish made me even more excited for the courses to come haha. ![Plating of three small bites](https://img.superchart.com/images/gongdeok-private-room-hanwoo-course-woosu/gongdeok-private-room-hanwoo-course-woosu-10-1m3xz-900.webp) ### Three small bites like a tiny garden Isn't the presentation gorgeous? 👏 One plate was arranged like a tiny garden, with three small bites set on top, and my first thought when it arrived was just how pretty the plating was. ![Small bites arranged like a tiny garden](https://img.superchart.com/images/gongdeok-private-room-hanwoo-course-woosu/gongdeok-private-room-hanwoo-course-woosu-11-1ijq0-900.webp) First was the bite-size bulgogi sandwich. Tender Hanwoo bulgogi and truffle cream cheese were tucked inside soft brioche. As soon as I ate it, the subtle truffle aroma came through, and the sweet-savory Hanwoo bulgogi worked surprisingly well with the nutty cream cheese. Personally, I really loved the sweet shrimp gimbugak—crispy fried seaweed ✨ Bite into the crisp seaweed and you get nutty abalone-gut rice with sweet shrimp at the same time; it is sweet and this combination was seriously delicious 🤭 ![Sweet shrimp gimbugak small bite](https://img.superchart.com/images/gongdeok-private-room-hanwoo-course-woosu/gongdeok-private-room-hanwoo-course-woosu-12-lxdn3-900.webp) The scallop baekhap was roasted scallop and a clam cream sauce inside crisp brick pastry. The outside was wonderfully crunchy while the scallop inside was tender, so I loved the contrast in textures. With the clam cream sauce, it was nutty with a delicate flavor of the sea, somehow,, 👀 ![Scallop baekhap brick pastry](https://img.superchart.com/images/gongdeok-private-room-hanwoo-course-woosu/gongdeok-private-room-hanwoo-course-woosu-13-v9z9h-900.webp) ![Scallop baekhap with cream sauce](https://img.superchart.com/images/gongdeok-private-room-hanwoo-course-woosu/gongdeok-private-room-hanwoo-course-woosu-14-1wq59-900.webp) ### Unexpected pairings of seafood and Korean ingredients The shiitake shrimp and zucchini dish used shrimp and shiitake mushrooms, served with zucchini, tofu, aged kimchi, and more! The thick mushroom texture was memorable against the nutty, soft sauce ✨ With the sauce and green oil plated together, it felt like quite an unusual dish despite its Korean ingredients. ![Shiitake shrimp and zucchini dish](https://img.superchart.com/images/gongdeok-private-room-hanwoo-course-woosu/gongdeok-private-room-hanwoo-course-woosu-15-3z2ds-732.webp) The Hanwoo yukhoe gamtae was so pretty that it almost felt too nice to eat. Rice sits on gamtae, a delicate seaweed, completely covered in yukhoe (Korean beef tartare). Maybe because I absolutely love yukhoe, but it felt like it melted in my mouth! 💕 Like this, yum yum 😋 ![Hanwoo yukhoe gamtae serving](https://img.superchart.com/images/gongdeok-private-room-hanwoo-course-woosu/gongdeok-private-room-hanwoo-course-woosu-16-1irpr-900.webp) The Jeju tilefish came with tilefish, barley-and-chamnamul rice, and neungi mushroom broth. You split the softly cooked fish in half and spoon it up with rice and broth. The neungi mushroom broth was savory and full of umami, so it went down very easily 😋 It had a warm, comforting flavor unlike the dishes before it, making it great for the middle of the course :) ![Jeju tilefish with neungi mushroom broth](https://img.superchart.com/images/gongdeok-private-room-hanwoo-course-woosu/gongdeok-private-room-hanwoo-course-woosu-17-6ov0v-900.webp) The Hanwoo tteokgalbi, or grilled minced beef patty, itself was tender and moist. Paired with the rich, smooth purée, it felt as though the purée softened the deep Hanwoo flavor a little more. It was memorable as a familiar tteokgalbi interpreted in a fine-dining style. ![Hanwoo tteokgalbi with purée](https://img.superchart.com/images/gongdeok-private-room-hanwoo-course-woosu/gongdeok-private-room-hanwoo-course-woosu-18-xu050-900.webp) ### Abalone five-color gardenia noodles, one of my favorites Gardenia noodles were topped with shredded radish in black sesame, bracken, shiitake mushrooms, seasoned chamnamul, perilla leaf, and abalone, then served with gamtae dressing and mustard-garlic sauce. ![Abalone five-color gardenia noodles and greens](https://img.superchart.com/images/gongdeok-private-room-hanwoo-course-woosu/gongdeok-private-room-hanwoo-course-woosu-19-1g7g4-899.webp) The bouncy abalone and fragrant greens were such a great match, especially with the fresh, tangy sauce—such a good dish! One of my favorites haha ❤️ By this later point in the course I was starting to get full, but maybe because it was noodles, I could still eat it lol. ![Hanwoo set served with a personal charcoal grill](https://img.superchart.com/images/gongdeok-private-room-hanwoo-course-woosu/gongdeok-private-room-hanwoo-course-woosu-20-19fjy-900.webp) ## Personal charcoal grills, Hanwoo, and a satisfying rice set You grill the meat yourself over a charcoal brazier, to your own preference, and the marbling alone looked incredibly appetizing haha. ![Grilling 1++ Hanwoo on a personal charcoal grill](https://img.superchart.com/images/gongdeok-private-room-hanwoo-course-woosu/gongdeok-private-room-hanwoo-course-woosu-21-cwp2b-900.webp) The Dinner B Course includes 90 g of Hanwoo. Ninety grams may sound like a small amount, but by the time the main arrives, you are actually quite full. It felt like finishing with a proper Korean meal 🙌 I also loved being able to grill and eat each piece right away, keeping it warm through to the end. It was tender and juicy too—definitely fitting for the main course 👍 We grilled the vegetables served alongside it as well, and could combine it with gat kimchi, seasoned vegetables, salt, and more as we liked. ![Grilled Hanwoo and accompaniments rice set](https://img.superchart.com/images/gongdeok-private-room-hanwoo-course-woosu/gongdeok-private-room-hanwoo-course-woosu-22-i3sf6-900.webp) With rice and warm Hanwoo miyeokguk (seaweed soup), the ending felt somehow as hearty as a home-cooked meal, even after a course menu! Meat is always right :) ![Rice and Hanwoo miyeokguk rice set](https://img.superchart.com/images/gongdeok-private-room-hanwoo-course-woosu/gongdeok-private-room-hanwoo-course-woosu-23-ubdiz-900.webp) ### Corn dessert and jasmine tea It came with corn ice cream, corn cream cheese, corn crumble, sponge cake, apricot, and a green-tangerine cream sauce. The harmony of the sweetness from the corn and the tang of the sauce was really so good! 🌽❤️ ![Corn dessert and jasmine tea](https://img.superchart.com/images/gongdeok-private-room-hanwoo-course-woosu/gongdeok-private-room-hanwoo-course-woosu-24-5thdy-900.webp) Finally, we finished the course with fragrant jasmine tea. ## For a quiet dinner on a special day Usu's Gongdeok branch was a place where slowly enjoying varied Korean dishes as a course made the meal itself feel like an experience. Above all, every seat is in a private room, so we could talk quietly; each dish was beautifully plated, and the staff explained the menu as the course went on, making us feel well looked after haha. Given the price point, Usu in Gongdeok would be a lovely choice for a slightly special day, such as a meeting between families, a family gathering, or a wedding-anniversary dinner :) ## Where it is - Usu (우수) (우수) - 201, B2, Lotte Castle President Shopping Arcade, 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/@banchan-side-stories/gongdeok-private-room-hanwoo-course-woosu/ · https://superchart.com/llms.txt