Grilled clam platter for beginners near Byeollnae Station, Namyangju

Looking for a grilled clam spot in Byeollnae-dong to eat with my girlfriend, I ended up at Sujakgye Wonhadeon Bada Byeollnae Main Branch, which had built a word-of-mouth reputation for its striking presentation and freshness.

Beyond the eye-catching three-tier clam tower, the grill uses a grate structure that drains the clam broth straight down, so you can grill without splatter or mess.

Location and hours of Sujakgye Wonhadeon Bada Byeollnae Main Branch

• Name: Sujakgye Wonhadeon Bada Byeollnae Main Branch
• Address: 1F 109-111, Star Plaza, 70-7 Deoksong 2-ro, Namyangju-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
• From Byeollnae Byeolgaram Station Exit 3, cross the bridge toward Starbucks, turn right, walk 50m
• Hours: Weekdays Mon–Fri 16:00–23:30 / Weekends Sat–Sun 13:00–23:30
• Parking: Building basement lot, 3 hours free

Out front there's an outdoor tent terrace with pojangmacha (street-tent bar) vibes, which looked great for enjoying grilled or steamed clams outdoors when the weather cools down. The relaxed atmosphere also makes it a good fit for anyone looking for a Byeollnae bar-and-grill spot.

What's on the menu, and how much

The menu is broadly split into grilled clams, clam hot pot, and lobster sets.

• Clam hot pot — Small (for two) ₩55,000 / Medium (for three) ₩69,000 / XL feast ₩99,000
• Grilled clam platter — Beginner's small ₩55,000 / Cheese waterfall medium ₩69,000 / Ocean-embrace large ₩81,000
• Add-on clams — flat sail clam, scallop, white clam, blood cockle, red scallop, etc. — ₩10,000 flat per portion

To try the grilled clams this time, we ordered the beginner's grilled clam platter (₩55,000), the small size.

The basic table setup and side dishes

Once we sat down, the basic side dishes came out first: corn salad, green peas, and pickled mountain peppers.

One of the perks here is that there's plenty to enjoy beyond the main dish you ordered. Along with a clear, spicy clam soup in a metal pot, they generously bring out tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes) and mozzarella cheese in a foil tray.

While the clams were grilling, the cheese tteokbokki was a nice light snack to cleanse the palate, and melting plenty of cheese over well-grilled clams added a savory richness that worked really well together.

The three-tier grilled clam platter — presentation and taste

The main grilled clam dish arrived on a three-tier tray. It was generously packed with flat sail clams, scallops, white clams, red scallops, shrimp, and even abalone.

What impressed me most was the freshness of the clams and how easy they were to grill. There was absolutely no fishy or off smell, and once properly cooked, the shells opened up on their own, making them easy to separate. In particular, since the grill has a grate structure with gaps, the broth pooling inside the clams could drain straight down under the grill, so there was no splashing or overflow — very convenient for grilling.

Honest pros and cons

What I liked

• Freshness: No fishy or off smell from the seafood — clean and pleasant.
• Ease of grilling: Strong heat meant the clams opened on their own, and the gaps in the grate let the clam broth drain straight underneath, so grilling was fuss-free.
• Side dish lineup: The combination of the complimentary cheese tteokbokki, clam soup, and mozzarella cheese worked really well together.

What could be better

Since the portions come out so generously, it was hard at first to figure out which clams to put on the grill first. It would be helpful for first-time visitors if staff gave a quick tip on grilling order by clam type when bringing out the dish.

Plans for next visit

The grilled clams and side dishes would pair nicely with drinks, making this a solid choice as a Byeollnae bar-and-grill spot, but I had a slight cold coming on that day, so I skipped alcohol. The clam hot pot at the next table caught my eye with its broth and generous seafood, so next time I'm planning to try the clam hot pot along with drinks.

Overall verdict

This is a place I'd recommend to anyone looking for a good grilled clam restaurant in Byeollnae-dong. With 3 hours of free parking and a pojangmacha-style atmosphere, it also works well as a date spot. I'll come back with a clam hot pot review next time.