Seocho Korean restaurant: family revisit for tomato porridge, Huiyeol

I loved my last visit so much that I went back to Huiyeol Seocho Gyodae Branch (희열 서초교대점), a favorite near Seocho Station, with my family! The atmosphere is upscale and the food is clean-tasting, so there's no better place to take your parents. 🤎

It's already famous as a Korean restaurant with private rooms near Gyodae Station, so you have to book on weekends haha

Where is Huiyeol Seocho Gyodae Branch, and what about parking?

Huiyeol Seocho Gyodae Branch is on the first basement floor of the building at 1 Beobwon-ro 1-gil, Seocho-gu, Seoul. It's a short walk from Seocho Station Exit 8 and Gyodae Station Exit 10, so access is excellent. You can park free for 1 hour in the private lot in front.

Head down into the basement and a neat, hanok-style restaurant greets you. I relax from the entrance. Since you can park right in front, it's an easy place to visit by car, which is why I keep coming back.

• Address: 1 Beobwon-ro 1-gil, B1F, Seocho-gu, Seoul
• Parking: Free in the private lot in front (1 hour)
• Hours: 11:00–21:30 (closed Sundays)

Private rooms that suit family gatherings

The biggest charm of Huiyeol Seocho Gyodae Branch is its private rooms.

The hall with floor-to-ceiling windows is pleasant too, but when you want a quiet conversation, the rooms are the best. The interior is elegant enough for important gatherings like a meeting between families before marriage or an anniversary haha The staff are really kind too, and every time I return I leave feeling well looked after. 😊

How to order and waiting tips

At Huiyeol Seocho Gyodae Branch, you just order at your table.

If there's a wait, booking ahead is the golden tip! Weekday lunch is especially popular with office workers nearby, so be sure to reserve. ✨

Lunch set price and what's in it

The signature lunch set at Huiyeol Seocho Gyodae Branch is in the ₩40,000 range per person, a top value course that covers hanwoo (Korean beef) grills and a variety of side dishes. I'm touched to find such a generous lineup. The menu has marinated short ribs, grilled hanwoo, braised short ribs and more, so pick what suits your taste!

Starter tomato porridge, shrimp jeon and 7 side dishes

Before the meal, the lunch set comes with tomato porridge, and it's a real treat. Sweet, tangy and smooth, it warms an empty stomach and kicks off the meal haha

Next comes shrimp jeon (pan-fried battered shrimp), where the plump shrimp pops in your mouth. It arrives freshly fried, hot and nutty, and it impresses me every time. 🍤

The 7 side dishes served as standard use seasonal ingredients, so the lineup changes a little each visit, and every one is mild and tidy.

The octopus jeotgal (salted seafood) and mustard leaf kimchi in particular are pot rice thieves, so good that I got refills haha They aren't salty, so you can have a healthy meal.

Charcoal-grilled hanwoo rib meat on a stone plate

Today's highlight, the grilled hanwoo rib meat, is grilled over charcoal by an expert in the Huiyeol Seocho Gyodae Branch kitchen.

You don't have to grill it yourself at the table and breathe in smoke. It's neatly laid out on a heated stone plate. It stays warm until you finish, so you can enjoy juicy hanwoo down to the last piece, which is this place's clear advantage. 🥩

The tender hanwoo rib meat melts in your mouth, and the flavor deepens when you eat it with the grilled vegetables. No worries about smell,

you can enjoy the meat cleanly without your clothes picking up the smell, a thoughtful Seocho Station favorite.

Seasonal pot rice, doenjang stew and the extra mustard leaf kimchi noodles

The seasonal pot rice served with the lunch set sends a fragrant herb aroma out the moment you lift the lid,

and mixed with soy sauce, it bursts with savory depth and is really delicious. Scooping the rice out, pouring water into the pot to make nurungji (scorched rice tea) and eating it with the jeotgal and side dishes was the best too. 🥹✨

The doenjang stew (soybean paste stew) is packed with tofu, and the broth is rich and deep, a perfect match for the pot rice.

The mustard leaf kimchi noodles I ordered extra have a refreshing taste that makes you forget the summer heat haha One sip of the broth and it feels like the grease just drops away!

Verdict: still satisfying on a return visit

Huiyeol Seocho Gyodae Branch, a Seocho Station favorite, is perfect in taste, atmosphere and service, a place my whole family is happy with.

Even on a return visit it was still delicious and neat, so I think we'll be back again haha I strongly recommend this private-room restaurant to anyone looking for Korean set meals near Gyodae Station. 👍

What kind of gathering suits it?

If you're wondering where to go for a date, a family gathering or an important business meeting, enjoy a dignified lunch set at Huiyeol Seocho Gyodae Branch. It's good for a company dinner too, and you can't do better for taking your parents.

My revisit intention is absolutely 200%! Do stop by if you're passing nearby. 😊