Balsan Korean restaurant birthday revisit, ₩51,000 set: Mikodam

A revisit report on Mikodam Magok-Balsan Branch, a Korean restaurant near Balsan Station. Here's the abalone seaweed soup, soy cockle bibim, and beef jeon two-person set, the side dish refills, and how to get 3 free parking hours.

I went back to Mikodam Magok-Balsan Branch, the Korean restaurant near Balsan Station with the great seaweed soup, to celebrate a friend's birthday. We chose the two-person set with abalone seaweed soup, added a bowl of rice, and it came to ₩51,000 — with 3 free hours of parking.

The flounder seaweed soup I had last time was also nutty and delicious. This time the table was full with abalone seaweed soup, soy cockle bibim, beef jeon, grilled mackerel, and refillable side dishes.

• 📍 Location: 42 Gangseo-ro 54-gil, Gangseo-gu, Seoul
• 🚇 4 min walk from Balsan Station
• 🅿️ Parking: ⭕️
• ⏰ Hours: Daily 11:00–22:00
• 📆 Reservations: Available (Naver Reservation)

Parking at Mikodam Magok-Balsan Branch: where do you get the stamp?

Just park in the designated parking tower. The parking attendant hands you a paper parking ticket when you enter — you have to bring it to the store after your meal to get it stamped.

If you lose the ticket, get the stamp on your payment receipt instead. Mikodam customers get up to 3 hours free, but if you don't get the stamp at the store or go over the free time, you'll be charged.

Inside Mikodam: dining room and the group room

The inside of Mikodam Magok-Balsan Branch was clean overall, and the tables were wide enough to hold several dishes comfortably. Indirect lighting shaped like a mountain lit up one wall.

There's also a group room in the back with a long table. If you want the group room, it's worth checking availability with the store before booking.

The ₩46,000 set for two: how do you choose the dishes?

The set menu was split into three options depending on party size.

• 2-person set ₩46,000
• 3-person set ₩62,000
• 4-person set ₩92,000

For the two-person set, you pick one item from each of three categories.

First, choose between flounder seaweed soup, beef seaweed soup, or abalone seaweed soup for an extra ₩4,000.

Second, choose between soy cockle bibim and vinegar cockle bibim; third, choose between beef jeon (pan-fried beef) and Jeju soy crab, both at no extra charge. Choosing LA-style short ribs adds ₩20,000.

We chose abalone seaweed soup, soy cockle bibim, and beef jeon.

• 2-person set (abalone seaweed soup + soy cockle bibim + beef jeon) ₩50,000
• Extra bowl of rice ₩1,000

The set itself came to ₩50,000, and we later ordered one more bowl of rice, bringing the total to ₩51,000.

There was also a sign for an event offering a free rolled egg omelet if you post a receipt photo review. It's limited to once per table, and the event details may vary depending on when you visit.

What comes with the abalone seaweed soup set for two

The two-person set came with the three chosen mains, grilled mackerel, and a variety of basic side dishes.

Stir-fried pork, japchae (glass noodle stir-fry), pickles, chicory salad, geotjeori (fresh kimchi), three-color namul, jellyfish salad, and gim (seaweed) were all free to refill. Tasting a bit of everything, the rice disappeared fast.

Soy-sauce cockle bibim

The cockles came with plenty of finely chopped chives and a sprinkle of sesame seeds on top. It was on the salty side and the cockle meat was plump and firm.

It went well mixed into rice, but wrapping the rice and cockles in the seasoned gim served alongside was also a great combination.

Abalone seaweed soup

The abalone seaweed soup came with two whole abalones, shells still on. I used the scissors provided to remove them from the shell and cut them into bite-sized pieces.

The abalone was quite tender, not chewy at all. The flounder seaweed soup I had before was also nutty and delicious, but this time I chose abalone since it was for my friend's birthday.

Beef jeon (pan-fried beef in egg batter)

The beef jeon arrived warm, as if freshly pan-fried, and the meat was tender. It was good on its own, but adding the chive salad on top made it taste even better.

Grilled mackerel

Grilled mackerel came standard with the set. It wasn't quite fresh-off-the-grill warm, but the flesh was plump and the texture was tender.

Stir-fried pork (jeyuk bokkeum)

The stir-fried pork was topped with shredded scallions. It had no gamey smell, was a bit spicy, and the seasoning wasn't too heavy, making it easy to eat.

I also liked that even the stir-fried pork could be refilled for free.

Ordering side dish refills on the tablet

You order side dish refills through the tablet on the table instead of calling a staff member over. We refilled the three-color namul, japchae, and stir-fried pork once each.

The rice ran out before the mains and sides did, so we added one more bowl for ₩1,000. Splitting it with my friend was a good way to finish off the leftover cockles and pork.

The self-serve dessert bar

The self-serve dessert bar at Mikodam Magok-Balsan Branch had puffed corn, sikhye (sweet rice punch), plum tea, and coffee.

The puffed corn was kept warm inside a rice cooker and was nice and crunchy, and I finished with a cup of plum tea. It was a light, refreshing way to finish off a Korean meal.

Is Mikodam worth a birthday dinner? Final verdict

I returned to Mikodam Magok-Balsan Branch to celebrate a friend's birthday. Beyond the abalone seaweed soup, soy cockle bibim, and beef jeon, the grilled mackerel and refillable side dishes made the spread feel generous for the price.

With the abalone soup upgrade and an extra bowl of rice, the total came to ₩51,000, and parking was covered for 3 hours.

If you're looking for a Korean set-meal restaurant near Balsan Station with seaweed soup, or want to enjoy a variety of side dishes together, this is worth keeping in mind. Do double-check operating hours and any current events before you visit.