Balsan Station lamb skewers: thick vs sirloin texture test, Hwarodam

Today I want to introduce Hwarodam Yang Kkochi, a great Magok restaurant near Balsan Station for charcoal-grilled lamb.

I had a relaxed meal with lamb skewers and a bunch of side dishes. The space is divided by partitions, so it was easy to chat comfortably too.

Where is Hwarodam Yang Kkochi Magok, and when is it open?

• 📍 66 Magokjungang 6-ro, Gangseo-gu, Seoul, South Korea, 2nd floor, units 207–209, Queens Park 10
• 🚇 298m from Balsan Station exit 9
• ⏰ Mon–Wed 11:30–22:50 (last order 22:10)
• ❌ Closed every Sunday
• 📅 9/24 14:00–23:00, closed 9/25–9/26

This Balsan Station restaurant, Hwarodam Yang Kkochi, is on the 2nd floor of Queens Park 10, right near exit 9, so it's an easy walk from the station. The dark exterior with white lettering made the entrance easy to spot, and the interior visible through the glass had a calm, clean vibe.

Partitioned tables: how private is the seating?

Hwarodam Yang Kkochi Magok has tall partitions installed at every table, naturally separating you from the next seat for a private feel.

With wood-toned walls, soft lighting, and cushioned sofa seating, it felt more like a clean Korean BBQ restaurant than a typical lamb skewer place.

There are also room-style seating areas, so it would suit a Magok work dinner or family gathering where you want to talk together while eating.

A grill sits in the middle of each table with a ventilation hood right above it, so you can grill the meat over charcoal at your seat and eat it warm.

Menu and prices: what we ordered at Hwarodam

This Magok restaurant, Hwarodam Yang Kkochi, sells lamb skewers and sirloin lamb skewers along with lamb chops and raw rib meat, plus a range of side dishes. They use lamb under a year old, aged and seasoned before grilling over charcoal, so it's easy to pick different cuts to order.

They also run a weekday lunch special from 11:30 to 13:30, pairing skewers with sides, which looked like a good lunch option too.

• Thick lamb skewers 250g ₩18,000 × 1 serving
• Sirloin lamb skewers 250g ₩23,000 × 2 servings
• Morning glory stir-fry ₩16,000
• Smashed cucumber ₩8,000
• Mapo fried rice ₩10,000

The basic side dishes were white kimchi and pickled gungchae (aster stem) in small bowls, with a neat individual sauce plate for each person. The sauce plate had wasabi, chili sauce, and a lamb-skewer spice powder side by side, so you could mix and match to taste.

Morning glory stir-fry and smashed cucumber salad

The morning glory stir-fry came out on a long plate, piled generously with green water spinach glistening with sauce.

The stems were crunchy while the leaves were soft and easy to eat, and the seasoning was well absorbed, so it was tasty even on its own. Eating it between bites of meat gave a nice change of texture — glad I ordered it alongside the skewers.

The smashed cucumber came with big chunks of cucumber tossed together with chili peppers. The red peppers peeking through the green cucumber made it look even more appetizing.

One bite was crunchy and tangy with a bit of a kick, making it easy to snack on even before the meat arrived. I ordered it to go with the skewers, but it whetted my appetite so much I kept reaching for it before the meat even showed up.

The mapo fried rice came heaped on one side of a wide plate, with mapo tofu served alongside for a pretty substantial-looking dish. Scallions topped the fried rice, and the mapo sauce had plenty of tofu, more than enough to spoon over the rice bit by bit.

Pre-grilled, then finished over charcoal at the table

The thick lamb skewers (1 serving) and sirloin lamb skewers (2 servings) we ordered arrived pre-cooked, split across plates. They looked fairly similar at first glance.

Each skewer was packed tight with thick chunks of meat, with grill marks and a glossy sheen on the surface — mouthwatering even before hitting the charcoal. With the water spinach, smashed cucumber, and mapo fried rice all set out together, the table looked plentiful and ready for a well-rounded meal.

The thick lamb skewers lived up to their name, with generously thick cuts of meat.

The pre-cooked skewers were placed on the charcoal grill to finish cooking to a golden brown.

As they cooked over the charcoal, the surface deepened in color and glistened with fat, looking even more appetizing.

Pulling off a well-cooked piece, the thick meat had a chewy, nutty bite — anyone who likes a hearty chew would love it.

The meat itself was already seasoned, so it had a good salty flavor even without dipping into sauce — fine to eat as is.

A bit of wasabi on top added a sharp kick that cut through the meat's richness, making each bite cleaner.

Topping it with the pepper from the chili sauce added spice and crunch, which paired well and cut through the richness of the thick meat.

Thick lamb skewers vs lamb sirloin skewers: what's the difference?

The sirloin lamb skewers looked similar to the thick skewers from the outside, but the first bite made the difference in tenderness obvious.

Compared to the thick skewers, they were much juicier and felt moist with every chew — personally, I liked the sirloin skewers more. The seared outside was nutty and the inside was tender, so despite the thick size, I kept reaching for more without feeling weighed down.

The sirloin lamb skewers were much juicier and softer than the thick skewers — personally my favorite, and something I'd definitely order again on a return visit. They were seasoned a bit salty, but pairing them with the smashed cucumber added a tangy, crunchy contrast that kept things from feeling one-note.

Is Hwarodam Yang Kkochi Magok good for a work dinner or family meal?

This Magok restaurant, Hwarodam Yang Kkochi, offered a comfortable meal in a clean space, and the staff were friendly, making it a place I'd want to return to. With each table sectioned off, I'd recommend it as a Balsan Station restaurant for eating lamb over relaxed conversation, whether for a Magok work dinner or a family meal out.