Gwangmyeong Market galbi with charcoal-grilled crab: Seoseo Galbi

My husband is a galbi (Korean BBQ short rib) killer. Ask him what he wants to eat and he'll say charcoal-grilled galbi, haha (it has to be charcoal).

So while hunting for a good galbi place, we ended up at Seoseo Galbi, known as a meat spot near Gwangmyeong Sageori. Ribs grilled over charcoal — there's no reason not to go. Grabbed my husband's hand and off we went~

Where is Gwangmyeong Seoseo Galbi, and what about parking and hours?

Quick info before you read on

• Name: Gwangmyeong Seoseo Galbi
• Address: 3-5 Gwangi-ro, 1st floor, Gwangmyeong-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
• Transit: 188m from Exit 10, Gwangmyeong Sageori Station
• Parking: available — 2 spots in front of the restaurant, plus Seongil Parking Lot (paid) 30m to the left before the entrance
• Hours: daily, 12:00–22:00

Sometimes charcoal-grill places have poor ventilation, but Seoseo Galbi has wide spacing between tables and good airflow, so grilling over charcoal never felt stuffy!

Gwangmyeong Seoseo Galbi menu and free side dishes

True to a restaurant that bets everything on ribs, the menu has seoseo galbi (beef short rib), sosaeng galbi (fresh beef rib), and pork galbi! We started with two servings of seoseo galbi, mul naengmyeon (cold noodle soup), and one rice.

The side dishes came out in a nice variety — shredded scallion, cabbage, lettuce, soy sauce, pickled onion, garlic, seasoned crab, and kimchi!

The moment it hit the charcoal, the juices started sizzling and that meat smell spread everywhere — that campfire-grilled-meat smell~ The meat quality was so good it'd probably taste great even pan-fried. But still, meat really is best over charcoal.

Grilling the seasoned raw crab over charcoal

What I loved is that seasoned crab (yangnyeom gejang) comes as a basic side dish. I'm pregnant and my husband has a shellfish allergy, so we normally can't eat crab at all ㅠㅁㅠ But here you can grill the seasoned crab right on the charcoal, and I loved that so much!!!

And you can get more seasoned crab from the self-serve bar. Other side dishes are also refillable as much as you want >< I'd never seen crab refills before — a crab lover could clean this place out.

How does the seoseo galbi (beef short rib) taste?

The seoseo galbi kept its signature savory, rich beef short rib flavor, and the seasoning wasn't overdone, so you could really enjoy the meat's natural taste! With a light smoky char, I kept reaching for one more piece~ Tried pairing it with the different side dishes too.

Maybe it's the pregnancy, but I actually preferred meat with a bit of seasoning over plain meat these days, and this suited my taste perfectly, haha. My husband, needless to say, ate very well.

Mul naengmyeon (cold noodle soup) with the ribs

We had mul naengmyeon (cold noodle soup) along with the meat! You can't have galbi without cold noodles, no way;ㅁ; I'm a mul-naengmyeon person, not bibim. The cool, refreshing taste of mul naengmyeon was just so good~ The noodles were chewy and springy, went down easy. The portion was big too, great for sharing with my husband.

Adding two servings of pork galbi

Couldn't resist and added two servings of pork galbi too. Pork galbi has a slightly sweeter seasoning than the beef seoseo galbi, so it's clearly a different flavor! Turned out to be a good call ordering both — eating just one kind gets old fast, but switching between the two kept things interesting the whole meal.

Pork galbi especially goes well with rice, so I actually thought about adding another bowl. But I was too full and held back.

The stew that came alongside had a spicy-sharp broth too, great as a palate cleanser — not overly harsh but spicy enough to enjoy a spoonful between bites of meat. And of course I refilled the seasoned crab again, haha. Feels like I made up for every crab-less day that day.

Who is Gwangmyeong Seoseo Galbi best for?

If you're looking for a meat restaurant near Gwangmyeong Sageori or Gwangmyeong Market, I think this place is worth a visit. I'd especially recommend it to people who love real charcoal-smoky flavor, and to people like me who love pairing cold noodles with meat.

The seating is spacious and table turnover was smooth, so it was comfortable even for a family visit. Next time I want to try the sosaeng galbi too!