Gangseo Seoul Korean BBQ with generous pork ribs: Ihwajeong

A pork rib restaurant close to Balsan Station

Ihwajeong Galbi Myeongga Magok-Balsan Branch is about 200 m, or a three-minute walk, from Exit 4 of Balsan Station, so it is easy to reach by public transport too.

Parking is always something I think about when taking a child out for a family meal, but Ihwajeong Galbi Myeongga has a spacious dedicated four-story parking facility, so driving there was convenient too. With three hours of free parking, it is also nice for long company dinners or family gatherings.

Separate seating areas and rooms that worked well with a child

When we entered, I was surprised by how many separate areas there were.

Rather than the tightly packed tables you might expect at a typical galbi restaurant, the seating felt spacious. Most importantly, each separate section had only a few tables, which made it great for dining with a child.

They also have high chairs and children's tableware, making it a good option for a family meal like ours.

There are private rooms as well, so it works for a more private meal or a group company dinner. I heard it is a popular Balsan Station restaurant for family birthday parties and company gatherings too. I could see why people looking for a family gathering spot or a company dinner venue near Magok and Balsan Station use it so often.

Ordering ribs and meal dishes

As the name suggests, Ihwajeong Galbi Myeongga is known for galbi, or Korean-style ribs.

For meat, there is the Myeongga Set with beef and the Ihwajeong Set with every kind of rib dish at Ihwajeong. It was also easy to order individual cuts, from beef to pork, according to our preferences.

There were meal dishes too, including galbitang (beef short-rib soup), naengmyeon (cold buckwheat noodles), and doenjang jjigae (soybean-paste stew). Our child loves pork ribs, so we ordered three portions of marinated grilled pork. I should have realized then that this place was on another level from the others.

Ordering by kiosk was easy. They set out the banchan (Korean side dishes), including two salads that were nice before the meat arrived, plus neat and tasty tangpyeongchae (mung-bean jelly salad), pickles, shredded scallions, white kimchi, and fresh geotjeori kimchi.

The kiosk also made it easy to request extra orders without any pressure.

Three very generous portions of marinated grilled pork

When it first arrived, I thought our order had been entered incorrectly. We had ordered three portions, but there was so much meat.

Each portion of marinated grilled pork is 300 g, nearly the equivalent of 1.5 to 2 portions at other places, so if you order as you normally would, you may end up stuffed like we did.

Marinated ribs are delicious, but the marinade makes them quite tricky to grill, right? At Ihwajeong Galbi Myeongga, they grill even the pork ribs for you, not just the beef! When you visit a barbecue restaurant with a child, taste matters, of course, but convenience makes you prefer a place that grills for you. Ihwajeong Galbi Myeongga even grills them at ₩7,000 per 100 g, a lower price than samgyeopsal (pork belly)!

Pork ribs over charcoal cannot fail, but when you grill them yourself, half the battle is not burning them. Ihwajeong Galbi Myeongga grilled ours moistly without burning them, then even let them rest, so all we had to do was enjoy them. I loved that.

The seasoning and aging of the ribs were so good that the umami exploded in my mouth even when I ate them plain or with just a little wasabi.

My recommended combination is to eat them with the accompanying side dishes. Their crisp, tangy flavors pair so well with the meat that you just keep reaching for more.

The meat was so tender and so well grilled that even our picky little one ate far more than usual.

There was truly so much that, although we ordered three portions, it was too much to grill all at once and I worried we might leave some behind. But our child and both of us enjoyed it so much that we finished it all.

The pork rib and mul naengmyeon combination

You cannot have pork ribs without naengmyeon, can you? There was so much meat that we planned to stop there, but the people at the next table were saying how delicious their naengmyeon was, so we ordered it as if under a spell.

We ordered mul naengmyeon, cold noodles in broth, and the broth with its thin ice crystals looked wonderfully clean. It was actually rich, while the noodles were pleasantly springy, so I enjoyed naengmyeon for the first time in a while.

And here is my little personal tip: do not finish every last rib. Save a few pieces and eat them with the mul naengmyeon. The sweet marinated ribs and cool noodles work so well together that, even when you are full, you may consider ordering more.

Free pear sorbet for dessert

As its name suggests, Ihwajeong uses Korean pear in its marinades and cooking. You can order pear sorbet for dessert! It is free, so do not miss it—make sure you get some!

The sweet, cool pear sorbet was absolutely perfect after the meat. Our child liked it so much that they stole half of mine too.

Useful tips before visiting

If you plan to visit at a busy time, such as dinner or on a weekend, or if you want a room or group seating, I recommend reserving ahead. They are open daily from 11:00 to 22:00, but last orders are at 20:30, so if you arrive late, I recommend ordering the dishes you want in advance.

There is currently a review event offering free omija ade, a Korean magnolia-berry sparkling drink. More than one person per table can participate, so everyone can enjoy a free drink.

Having eaten at Ihwajeong Galbi Myeongga Magok-Balsan Branch myself, I found the pork rib portions more generous than expected, and above all, I liked how tender the meat was. The seasoning was not overwhelming, and even our six-year-old enjoyed it, so we were happy with it as a family meal. With the staff grilling the meat directly, it was definitely convenient for parents who need to look after a child while eating.

• The three portions of marinated pork ribs were much more generous than expected.
• The meat was tender and well seasoned, so both our child and the adults enjoyed it.
• The staff grilling service made it an easy choice for a family meal or group gathering.