Before Clearing Diner · 21 stories

Before Plates Clear

I write about restaurants I visit in Gyeonggi and the meals I have there. · Writes about: Restaurants · Bars

PlaceDongdaemun, SeoulRestaurants

Hoegi Station galbitang restaurant where ribs beat shank: Hoegi Wang

Hoegi Wang Galbitang (회기왕갈비탕) is a galbitang (beef short rib soup) restaurant near Exit 1 of Hoegi Station in Dongdaemun, Seoul, close to Kyung Hee University's Seoul campus. On a cold Monday evening the blogger ordered the extra-meat beef shank galbitang (19,000 won) and filled up at the self bar with rice, side dishes, 17-grain misutgaru and barley gangjeong. The beef shank was good, but at Hoegi Wang Galbitang the meat on the rib bones turned out to be the tastier part.

Written Oct 28, 2026Sponsored
PlaceAnsan, GyeonggiRestaurants

Ansan taco restaurant: platter fries, dirty nachos, The Taco Booth

The Taco Booth Ansan Gojan Branch is a taco restaurant on the main road next to Homeplus in Gojan-dong, Danwon-gu, Ansan. On a date with a taco-loving boyfriend, the writer ordered the taco platter (42,500 won) and dirty nachos (9,500 won); the crispy tacos grilled with cheese and the nachos that never went soggy stood out, and The Taco Booth even has an in-store sink and disposable gloves. The Taco Booth is a date-friendly Gojan-dong taco spot that even someone who struggles with cilantro enjoyed.

Written Jun 15, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulRestaurants

Late-night Korean BBQ in Jongno, no wait at 10 PM: Cham Dwaejitgan

Cham Dwaejitgan Jongno Main Branch is a Korean BBQ restaurant serving Boseong green pork and Jirisan black pork on the ground floor of Piccadilly CGV by Jongno 3-ga Station in Jongno, Seoul. Cham Dwaejitgan is known for long waits, but at 10 PM on a Thursday the writer was seated right away, and staff grilled 1 serving of flower neck and 2 servings of Jirisan black pork belly (ogyeopsal). The highlight was the potato wrap: thin potato slices topped with pork belly, shiitake wasabi and pickled garlic stems.

Written Oct 16, 2026Sponsored
PlaceAnsan, GyeonggiRestaurants

Korean BBQ near Ansan City Hall: LA galbi lunch with Mom, Yangsimso

Yangsimso Ansan Gojan Branch is a beef and pork Korean BBQ restaurant on the first floor of Praum City, near Ansan City Hall and Jungang Station in Ansan, Gyeonggi. The writer could not forget the LA galbi (marinated beef short ribs) from a previous visit, so she returned for a Thursday lunch with her mom and ordered handmade marinated pork galbi (₩18,000 per serving) and LA galbi (₩29,000 per serving), with a free beef brisket doenjang stew and neat side dishes. The top pick at Yangsimso was the LA galbi paired with shiitake wasabi sauce.

Written Oct 15, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGwangjin, SeoulRestaurants

Guui Korean BBQ open till 2 a.m.: pork neck beats belly — Sanggu's

Sanggu's Sotttukkeong Samgyeopsal Guui Branch is a cauldron-lid pork belly restaurant on Achasan-ro in Gwangjin, Seoul, between Guui Station and Gangbyeon Station, open until 2 a.m. On a 1 a.m. Monday visit the chewy pork jowl (jjondeuksal) was sold out, so the writer ordered the premium half-plate set, 500g for 43,000 won with minari (water dropwort), and found the pork neck even tastier than the pork belly. Sanggu's Sotttukkeong Samgyeopsal is worth a visit when you crave staff-grilled minari pork belly late at night.

Written Oct 14, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGwangjin, SeoulRestaurants

Konkuk Univ. donburi at 8:30pm: bukkake cold udon sets for two, Hekbap

Hekbap Konkuk University Main Branch is a Japanese rice bowl restaurant on the 2nd floor of a building on Neungdong-ro, near Exit 2 of Konkuk Univ. Station in Seoul. On a weekday around 8:30pm, two friends ordered the salmon and soy-marinated shrimp bowl with bukkake cold udon set (₩18,400) and the pork jowl bowl with bukkake cold udon set (₩15,400). The dinner rush had passed, so the restaurant was relaxed, and each rice bowl paired well with the cold udon. Hekbap Konkuk University Main Branch is an easy pick near Konkuk Univ. for a neat, mildly seasoned set meal, including when dining alone.

Written Jul 8, 2026Sponsored
PlaceNowon, SeoulRestaurants

Nowon sushi buffet after 10 years: rainy Wednesday dinner at Kuu Kuu

Kuu Kuu Nowon Branch is a sushi and roll buffet in Nowon, Seoul, a 7-minute walk from Exit 2 of Hagye Station. On a rainy Wednesday around 6pm the writer walked in with no wait and paid the 31,900 won weekday dinner price for salmon sushi, raw shrimp sushi, beef tataki sushi, hot dishes, and cake and fruit for dessert. Back after more than 10 years, the writer found Kuu Kuu Nowon Branch well worth its weekday dinner price.

Written Jul 17, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYeoju, GyeonggiRestaurants

Yeoju Korean BBQ with no Saturday wait after shopping: Hwassi2192

Hwassi2192 Nam-Yeoju Branch 2 (화씨2192 남여주 2호점) is a Korean BBQ restaurant serving pre-seared pork near Nam-Yeoju IC in Ganam-eup, Yeoju, Gyeonggi. After shopping at Yeoju Premium Outlets, two of us arrived at 7pm on a Saturday, walked in with no wait and had the 59,000 won pork platter (dwaeji hanpan) and a 10,000 won mul naengmyeon (cold buckwheat noodles), while staff grilled all the meat for us. Hwassi2192 Nam-Yeoju Branch 2 is a filling, easy dinner spot in Yeoju after a tiring day of shopping.

Written Jul 22, 2026Sponsored
PlaceAnsan, GyeonggiBars

Gojan-dong, Ansan late-night bar: hanwoo sashimi and gamtae, Banwolga

Banwolga (반월가) is a Korean gastropub in Gojan-dong, Danwon-gu, Ansan, best known for hanwoo (Korean beef) tartare and sashimi made from meat said to be slaughtered the same day. The writer visited Banwolga around 11 p.m. on a Sunday and ordered the 38,000-won hanwoo sashimi with soju (5,500 won), eating it with black sesame sauce and with gamtae (thin seaweed) plus the house special sauce, and found no gamey smell, just a rich, nutty flavor. For a calm atmosphere and fresh hanwoo sashimi, Banwolga is a satisfying choice.

Written Jul 21, 2026Sponsored
PlaceAnsan, GyeonggiRestaurants

No-grill summer pork ribs at Handaeap Station, Ansan: Suamgol

Suamgol Jjokgalbi Maeul Ansan Hanyang University Station Branch (수암골 쪽갈비마을) is a Korean BBQ restaurant near Exit 2 of Handaeap Station in Ansan, Gyeonggi, that serves its jjokgalbi (pork ribs) fully cooked. On a sweltering summer Thursday at 9 pm, the writer ordered garlic and spicy jjokgalbi (₩18,000), tuna mayo rice balls (₩6,000) and kimchi-mari guksu (cold kimchi noodles, ₩7,000); the tender meat with no gamey smell and the complimentary soft tofu stew stood out. For summer nights when you don't want to grill over a hot fire, Suamgol Jjokgalbi Maeul is a good fit.

Written Jul 27, 2026Sponsored
PlaceAnsan, GyeonggiRestaurants

Ansan City Hall Korean BBQ: side dishes a picky mom loved, Yangsimso

Yangsimso Ansan Gojan Branch (양심소 안산고잔점) is a charcoal-grill Korean BBQ restaurant in Gojan, Ansan. It is a 3-minute walk from Ansan City Hall and 11 minutes from Jungang Station. For a Sunday lunch at Yangsimso, the writer and her picky mother, who ran a food business for years, ordered 48-hour aged raw LA galbi (beef short ribs, 26,000 won per 250g), homemade marinated pork galbi made with Korean pork (18,000 won per 250g) and mul naengmyeon (cold noodles, 8,000 won). The mother praised both the side dishes, which had no artificial seasoning taste, and the meat, making Yangsimso a safe Korean BBQ pick near Ansan City Hall for taking your parents.

Written Jul 30, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYeongdeungpo, SeoulRestaurants

Yeouido Japanese restaurant, Sunday steki better than gyukatsu: Hurato

Hurato Sikdang Yeouido (후라토식당 여의도직영점) is a Japanese restaurant serving gyukatsu (breaded beef cutlet) and steki (Japanese-style steak) on the 3rd floor of Yeouido Finance Tower, near Yeouido Station Exit 3 in Seoul. Around noon on a Sunday, the blogger and her boyfriend ordered SET 1 plus a mini curry sauce for ₩49,000. The food arrived 4 minutes after ordering, and the steki beat Hurato Sikdang's signature gyukatsu. Verdict: Hurato Sikdang is a can't-miss Japanese restaurant by Yeouido Station, where grilling your own meat on a personal brazier is part of the fun and the curry add-on is worth it.

Written Oct 5, 2026Sponsored