Daeyeon-dong Busan Korean BBQ with chicken feet: Gim Geumja

Daeyeon-dong has genuinely famous Busan restaurants such as Gongwon Kalguksu and Kim Yusun Daegu Boljjim, but Dad suddenly said he wanted galbi, so while searching for a good meat and pork galbi place in Daeyeon-dong, we visited Gim Geumja Sutbul Galbi Daeyeon Branch (김금자숯불갈비 대연점), which specializes in domestic pork galbi. Pork galbi is the main event, but we also enjoyed plenty of other dishes, including chicken feet and udon pasta—here comes my family's honest review.

Location and interior of Gim Geumja Sutbul Galbi Daeyeon Branch

Gim Geumja Sutbul Galbi Daeyeon Branch is at 185-5 Suyeong-ro, Nam-gu, Busan. Motgol Station is closer than Daeyeon Station. It is about a 3–4-minute walk from Motgol Station, so it is easy to reach by public transport, too. You cannot miss Gim Geumja Sutbul Galbi Daeyeon Branch's yellow sign.

Once inside, it feels less like the clean, trendy meat restaurants that are popular these days and more like an old-school charcoal galbi restaurant. From the tables to the posters on the walls, there is a slightly retro feel throughout, and my parents loved that it brought back memories. That said, it did not feel old or messy; the restaurant was spacious and kept clean. There are lots of tables and plenty of room, so it looked good for a family meal or a group work dinner.

There is also a separate group room for company dinners, so it is popular as a Daeyeon-dong pork galbi spot for gatherings. I loved that the self-service bar had various extra side dishes, so we could grab whatever we wanted without feeling self-conscious—naturally, I piled up the ssam greens.

Marinated galbi and the Geumja Cheongyang cream udon set

There were more menu choices than I expected, so we debated for a while. Still, we thought we had to try the signature marinated galbi, so we ordered the 600g marinated galbi + Geumja Cheongyang cream udon set, and we were completely satisfied. The side dishes were set out first after we ordered, and even those were great at this Daeyeon-dong meat restaurant.

The chewy snack included with the set, jjondeugi, can be lightly grilled on the grate too, and it is a surprisingly special little treat. We came for meat and became completely hooked on jjondeugi...

We came in panting from the heat and then met this wonderfully cold muksabal, a chilled acorn-jelly soup. There was even a chunk of ice in it, and it was sooooo refreshing and delicious.

How was the Geumja Cheongyang cream udon?

After grilling jjondeugi and having the muksabal, the Geumja Cheongyang cream udon arrived. Honestly, udon pasta at a pork galbi restaurant? I did not expect much... but it was so delicious that we scraped the bowl clean. Dad, who is especially devoted to meat, ate almost all the cream udon himself—he enjoyed it so much that he barely got to focus on the meat.

The rich cream sauce was balanced perfectly by the sharp heat of Cheongyang chili peppers, so it was cleanly spicy rather than heavy. We originally ordered it to wrap with the meat, but my family finished it before the meat was even cooked. The noodles were springy udon rather than pasta, which suited our family perfectly.

600g marinated galbi

My family tends to eat well, so we thought, “Oh, this will not be enough—we will need to order more.” But we were so full that we could not add anything after all.

The moment we put it on the grill, the sweet marinade and charcoal aroma rose together, and it passed from the smell alone. At some places, marinated galbi can be overly sweet or salty and become tiring quickly, but here it had that sweet-salty balance without aggressive seasoning, so I could keep eating it.

Grilled over charcoal, the marinade caramelized slightly, leaving a sweet outer layer. Perhaps because it was domestic pork, there was clearly no unpleasant smell and the texture was good too. The marinade did not just feel like it was on the surface; the seasoning had soaked in just enough, and dipping it once in the house sauce made it even better.

My mom and I are ssam lovers, so we put lettuce, perilla leaf, spicy scallion salad, and onion together in one bite. The tart flavors alongside the sweet marinade made it twice as delicious.

And never, ever forget to gnaw on the galbi bone at the end. It is the best part.

Pork skin and chicken feet that hit the spot

While eating the marinated galbi, we started craving something spicy. We debated ordering spicy marinated galbi or chicken feet, chose the chicken feet, and I have to say: chicken feet are essential.

The chicken feet arrived cooked, but chicken feet with a light charcoal aroma are just different... We put them on the grill and browned both sides. The marinade caramelized a little and the smoky flavor really soaked in—get it into my mouth immediately!!

They were chewy with a pleasant crisp bite, and the more I chewed, the more the spicy marinade came through. They had a completely different charm from the marinated galbi. Especially after sweet galbi, finishing with chicken feet made my mouth burst with spice in just the right way.

Personally, I love eating chicken feet with perilla leaves and pickled radish wraps. These days, many chicken-feet places do not give you perilla leaves, so I had forgotten this combination—but it all came back to me.... Perilla leaf, pickled radish, and chicken feet: I love this combination.

Complimentary pork skin for joining the review event

You can receive pork skin if you join the review event, and wow... this pork skin was seriously so good. It came with pork skin, a pressing plate, and three sauces, and pork skin ended up being my favorite.

Put it on the grill and use the pressing plate to brown both sides. The outside becomes slightly crisp while the inside stays chewy, and one bite makes you go, “Whoa,” at both the flavor and texture.

Maybe because it was charcoal-grilled, a subtle smoky flavor came through with every chew, making it even more delicious. It was not overly thick or tough; it had just the right chew and bite, so even when full, I kept picking up another piece...

There are no fewer than three sauces, and every one was delicious with it. Join the review event, and you will definitely end up ordering extra pork skin.

For a day when you crave galbi, chicken feet, and pork skin

It was such a fun place to grill all sorts of things—marinated galbi, chicken feet, and pork skin—on one grate, and it would be perfect with a drink too. They are dishes that are hard to eat all at once, but when you crave all three, this would be such a good place to go. If you are looking for a good Daeyeon-dong Busan meat restaurant, I recommend Gim Geumja Sutbul Galbi Daeyeon Branch.