Korean BBQ near Mangpo Station, Suwon: seaweed yukhoe, Olheun Gogi

Where is Olheun Gogi Suwon Main Branch, and is there parking?

Olheun Gogi Suwon Main Branch (옳은고기) is a 3-minute walk from Mangpo Station Exit 6, on the first floor of a standalone building, with an outdoor parking lot. It's the place I think of when I want tasty meat at a good price, so here's my honest review from this sponsored visit!

It's a standalone building, so it was really easy to find. There's an outdoor parking lot, so drivers can relax, and next to the banner for the Golden Loin Platter, 600g for ₩88,000, at the entrance, mouthwatering photos of meat hang in a row. You might think, "Isn't that just promo photos?" But once you see the photos of what I actually ate, you'll know it's the real deal!

• Address: 20 Yeongtong-ro 218beon-gil, Yeongtong-gu, Suwon, Gyeonggi, South Korea (1st floor)
• Hours: 12:00 to 3:00 a.m. the next day
• 3-minute walk from Mangpo Station Exit 6 (from the exit, go along the main road on the left of the post office building opposite, then turn right into the alley past the post office parking lot)

What to order on a first visit to Olheun Gogi

At Olheun Gogi Suwon Main Branch, ordering the signature hansang set (full-table set) is the unwritten rule, and since I wanted pork belly, I got the Olheun Pork Hansang Set (₩118,000). It comes with Hanwoo (Korean beef) yukhoe (seasoned raw beef), pork belly, neck and loin trim, already close to 1kg of food.

The only real dilemma on a first order here is beef or pork. The Olheun Pork Hansang Set also includes grilling cheese and steamed egg, which is exactly why they tell you to start with the signature sets.

• Olheun Beef Hansang Set ₩166,000
• Olheun Pork Hansang Set ₩118,000
• Brisket Samhap Yukhoe Set ₩95,000
• Marbled Wagyu Whole Cow Set ₩128,000
• Golden Loin Platter ₩88,000

Inside Olheun Gogi Suwon Main Branch: atmosphere and private rooms

Inside, Olheun Gogi Suwon Main Branch is black and white with good lighting, so it feels bright and clean. There were already customers before dinner time even started, so a famous spot really is a famous spot, I guess.

Maybe thanks to the black-and-white interior and the clever lighting, it's super bright and tidy.

There are private rooms further in, which would be great for quiet gatherings or small events. There are also candies at the counter to freshen your mouth, so be sure to grab one when you pay!

What side dishes come with the Olheun Gogi set?

The basic side dishes at Olheun Gogi Suwon Main Branch are cucumber pickles, washed cabbage, mustard leaf kimchi, myeongi namul (wild garlic-chive greens), raw garlic, wasabi, salt, ssamjang (seasoned dipping paste) and meljeot (salted anchovy dip). My anticipation grew as the table filled up bit by bit.

They lit the grill and said we had to wait until it reached a steady temperature, so I looked over the side dishes before the meat went on. Some places give you myeongi namul, but few also serve mustard leaf kimchi as a side. The side dish lineup alone told me this place was something special.

Hanwoo yukhoe with gamtae seaweed

The appetizer of the Olheun Pork Hansang Set, Hanwoo yukhoe, comes with a separate egg yolk that you mix in yourself. The pear was cut into small pieces, so the texture was much better than when it's julienned, and the kick here was the gamtae (seaweed). I never knew seaweed and yukhoe went together this well until this time!

Braised Spanish mackerel with Vietnamese chili

The braised mackerel (samchi) that came next was impressive too. One bite and the spiciness of the Vietnamese chili hits you, and the heat on top of a nicely salty base made it clean and light to enjoy. Even from this one braised dish, you can feel the skill of the kitchen.

A generous steamed egg that stays puffy to the end

I can't skip the steamed egg (gyeran-jjim). Even the name isn't just steamed egg, it's "generous steamed egg." At most BBQ restaurants the puffed-up egg collapses the moment you take a spoonful, but Olheun Gogi's stays full all the way through and keeps a soft, pudding-like texture. It was perfect for a bite between pieces of meat, and the saeu-jeot (salted shrimp) on top was so generous you could see it, giving it a solid savory depth.

Does Olheun Gogi grill the meat for you?

At Olheun Gogi Suwon Main Branch, staff walk around and grill the meat for you, so you never have to wonder who's cooking. They kept checking the grill temperature, then told us it was hot enough.

I started with the pork belly, and watching them grill it so neatly made me feel well looked after. Good value and a grilling service on top, and the taste was exactly as promised by the photos I saw at the entrance.

My first bite was with salt and a little wasabi on top, and the chewy texture was superb. I also dunked pieces deep in the meljeot simmered on the grill and made ssam (lettuce wraps). Adding myeongi namul, washed kimchi and fresh seasoned vegetables made it even more abundant.

Grilling cheese served with mushrooms

And finally, the finishing touch: the grilling cheese arrived! They put the cooked meat on the side grill and grill the cheese on top, and with just a little salt it's genuinely amazing. It reminded me of a cheese and mushroom combo I once saw while searching for a Yufuin trip, so I tried them together, and sure enough they go well. I highly recommend eating the cheese with mushrooms.

Pork loin trim: a first-time cut worth ordering

After finishing the neck, it was the loin trim's turn (deoksal, the meat along the loin), and by then I was fairly full and wondered if I could finish it all. But loin trim was a cut I'd never tried before, and its extra chewy, springy texture was really good. Totally recommended cut!

Olheun Gogi Suwon Main Branch at a glance

Olheun Gogi is said to be known for selecting top-grade Hanwoo pork 1+ grade (Korean domestic pork) and Australian clean-fed wagyu grade 9, and for preparing and cooking its side dishes by hand every day. With rooms for 12 to 14 and 30 people, it's good for company dinners or family gatherings, and I hear full-venue bookings of up to 108 people are possible, so keep that in mind.

If you want to catch both rabbits, value and service, I strongly recommend Olheun Gogi at Mangpo Station. Staff grill from start to finish, so enjoy your meal without any grilling stress!