Gangnam Korean BBQ dinner with half-price pork refills: Bongu Hwarro

I had dinner plans in Gangnam and was looking for a good samgyeopsal (pork belly) spot, so I went to Bongu Hwarro (봉우화로). There are so many barbecue places near Gangnam Station that I debated where to go, but this one had been selected for the Blue Ribbon Survey, so I was curious. So many reviews said it was delicious too—picked! After visiting, the meat was great, but what impressed me most was the value for money. The fact that additional orders are half price was a real perk, honestly. Haha.

Finding Bongu Hwarro from Gangnam Station Exit 11

Bongu Hwarro is within walking distance of Exit 11 at Gangnam Station. It is in the Star Palace building, so it was not hard to find, and it is conveniently located from Sinnonhyeon Station too. Seeing the notice that it was a Blue Ribbon-selected restaurant made me even more excited for some reason. There were already lots of after-work groups and company dinners there!! If you are visiting in a group, it would probably be best to make a reservation.

A comfortable setting for group meals too

The restaurant felt clean overall, with plenty of tables. It looked like a fine place to get seated even with a group, and rather than being overly loud, it felt good for a relaxed meal. Above all, the included services were quite substantial. Each person can have one free ramen, and after the meal, there is even soft-serve ice cream topped with Joripong cereal, so the finish was satisfying too.

Korean fresh pork belly and a wide spread of banchan

We ordered Korean fresh pork belly and Zero Cola.

At first, we decided to try the pork belly before ordering more, but as we ate, we were like, wow, this is good—and immediately added another order of pork belly, haha. The basic side dishes were incredibly varied too.

There was soy-marinated raw crab, scallion kimchi, seasoned scallion salad, shredded radish, dongchimi (water kimchi), as well as lettuce, perilla leaves, garlic, and several sauces, so it was fun trying all kinds of combinations. Personally, the old-school pink sausage was a quiet standout. I kept picking at it while the meat cooked, and refilled it several times.

The pork belly was nicely thick, and once browned, it stayed juicy. Eaten with wrap vegetables, it went down so easily that I could keep eating it without feeling weighed down.

It was also so good paired with the sauces, scallion kimchi, seasoned shredded radish, and the other side dishes!!

Soybean paste stew that went perfectly with the meat

We had doenjang-jjigae (soybean paste stew) too, and it is a must-order when you are having meat! It was much heartier than expected, with lots of ingredients such as zucchini and mushrooms.

The broth was not overly intense; it had a deep, savory flavor, so taking a spoonful while eating pork belly felt like it completely refreshed my palate. It neatly cut through the meat's richness, so I kept reaching for it throughout the meal, and it went well with a bowl of rice too. Eating only meat can get a little tiring, but thanks to the soybean paste stew, we enjoyed everything right to the end without getting tired of it. Haha.

Finishing with fluffy fried rice

We added an order of fried rice that day too, and this was another seriously delicious dish that I recommend! There was more meat in the fried rice than I expected, making it wonderfully filling right through the end. The rice was not wet or mushy but fried into distinct, fluffy grains with a great bite, and the subtle smoky flavor kept me coming back for more.

The fried rice was delicious on its own, but my favorite combination was topping it with a piece of pork belly we had saved. Eating it with scallion kimchi or seasoned scallion salad also cut through the richness,

and adding shredded radish or dongchimi made my mouth feel completely refreshed. After filling up on meat, finishing with fried rice made the meal feel complete, so if you go to Bongu Hwarro, I definitely recommend having the fried rice too.

Great value with the half-price additional-order deal

What I liked best at Bongu Hwarro was definitely the additional-order discount!! Once you have placed your first order, any extra meat is half price, so it is especially a good deal on a day when you want to eat a lot. You do not have to over-order from the start—you can try it and order more if it is not enough—so it feels less burdensome too.

Considering the free ramen, diverse side dishes, and dessert ice cream, this is a place I liked so, so much. If you want to enjoy pork belly in Gangnam while getting good value too, I highly recommend Bongu Hwarro! I was also happy that it is a Blue Ribbon-selected restaurant, and especially with the half-price additional-meat deal, it is a great Gangnam Station dinner spot where you can eat your fill with less of a hit to the wallet!