Jongno Korean restaurant, ₩40,000 gulbi and sashimi spread: Gu Table

How much is the barley gulbi set at Gu Table, and what comes with it?

The barley gulbi set (보리굴비 정식) at Gu Table Korean Restaurant (구테이블 한정식) is ₩40,000 per person. I was looking for a place to eat in Jongno 5-ga, ended up at Gu Table, and this set is what I ordered.

First, here is the full spread of the barley gulbi set (₩40,000 per person). Besides the gulbi (dried, barley-cured corvina), it comes with braised fish and lots of side dishes. The rice arrives in a small bowl about the size of a soy sauce dish, and the seaweed soup was nice and slurpable.

Gu Table hours and parking

Gu Table is open daily from 11:00 to 22:00, with a break from 15:00 to 17:00 and last order at 21:30. Parking is not available.

The inside has space for several people to eat together. I was guided to a separate room at the back. Aprons were also prepared, so you can use one freely if you need it.

Signature dishes at Gu Table

• Barley gulbi set
• Handmade dumpling soup set
• Braised kimchi set
• Mussel seaweed soup set
• Braised fish set

What does the barley gulbi set table look like?

When you order the barley gulbi set (₩40,000 per person) at Gu Table, everything is laid out on the table at once. It looked delicious in the photos, too.

Here is the overall table for the ₩40,000 per person set. Since everything arrives together, there was no waiting around between dishes and I could dig in right away. The gulbi came with rice, seaweed soup and green tea water.

How many gulbi do you get, and how do you eat it?

For two servings of the set, we got one gulbi. It came already prepared so it was easy to pick apart, like in the photo.

I removed the bones, scooped up the flesh and put it on top of my rice.

It's meant to be eaten with rice, so I got my rice ready and had the gulbi alongside it. After that, the green tea water came out. You pour it over your rice and eat it that way.

Side dishes that come with the barley gulbi set

In the barley gulbi set at Gu Table, the gulbi sits in the middle, surrounded by braised fish, sashimi, wrap vegetables, meat and other side dishes. With a hanjeongsik (Korean full-course set meal) style meal like this, I'm curious about the side dishes as much as the main. There were plenty of them, so I took a photo of each one.

Braised fish

I also tried the braised fish that came with it. It was seasoned with sauce, and the flesh was tender. It's served so you can eat a little of each side dish alongside it.

Sashimi and wrap vegetables

Sashimi came too, so I took a photo. I picked up a slice and ate it with rice.

Lettuce, carrot and chili came out. The wrap vegetables are there so you can have them with the sashimi or other dishes.

Meat side dish

A meat dish came out too. I visited while having lunch in Jongno 5-ga, looking for a barley gulbi set or a hanjeongsik-style meal, and gulbi suited both lunch and dinner nicely.

Gu Table atmosphere and seating

The inside of Gu Table was prettily decorated overall, with small props and interior touches placed here and there. I looked around the dining area too. Besides the area with tables, there's a separate room at the back. There are seats for when you visit with a group.

Gu Table location and visitor info

Gu Table is within walking distance of Jongno 5-ga Station, tucked down an alley. The menu is posted outside the restaurant so you can check it before going in, which made choosing a dish easier.

• Address: 1st floor, 8-5 Jongno 31-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea (near Jongno 5-ga Station)
• Payment: local currency, Zero Pay, simple payment apps accepted
• Seating: terrace, group seating, chair seating, single seats and more
• Corkage available (fee applies)
• Pets not allowed