Pangyo Korean restaurant: bulgogi and spicy squid, Bulgogi On Soban

I'm Ori, and every weekend my husband and I hunt down good restaurants. 🦆 This weekend we went on an outing to Pangyo and craved a hearty Korean meal, so we had lunch at Bulgogi On Soban (불고기온소반). On weekdays it's known as a go-to lunch spot for Pangyo office workers, but it was just as satisfying on a weekend, so let me tell you about it!

Where is Bulgogi On Soban Pangyo, and what are its hours?

Bulgogi On Soban Pangyo Branch is at 240 Pangyoyeok-ro, in the basement (B1) of Samhwan Hi-Pex Building A. Hours are Monday to Friday 11:00-20:30 and Sunday 10:00-20:00, with a break from 15:00 to 17:00, and it's closed on Saturdays.

Bulgogi On Soban at Samhwan Hi-Pex: a roomy lunch favorite for Pangyo office workers

Bulgogi On Soban is in the basement of Samhwan Hi-Pex in Pangyo. It's a big restaurant you see as soon as you step out of the elevator, so even first-timers won't get lost.

Inside, the tables are spaced widely and the whole space is huge. Apparently this big hall fills up with office workers at weekday lunchtime, which is exactly the scale you'd expect from a Pangyo lunch favorite.

We came for a late lunch around 2 p.m. on the weekend. There were quite a few diners even then, but the place is so large that we could spread out, and it felt private and quiet, which I really loved.

What's on the Bulgogi On Soban menu? Hearty comfort food (and a sold-out yukhoe)

The menu is built around jeyuk-bokkeum (spicy stir-fried pork) and beef bulgogi set meals (bansang), plus spicy dishes like stir-fried webfoot octopus and stir-fried squid. Flipping through, jeyuk-bokkeum and bulgogi, the eternal soul food of office workers, especially men, take the main spots, and the spicy webfoot octopus and squid dishes make the lineup really great for anyone who likes heat.

We originally planned to get yukhoe (Korean beef tartare) and a bulgogi set, since my husband is a total yukhoe fiend, but sadly it had sold out early. So, setting aside our disappointment, we ordered the '48-hour aged garlic beef bulgogi set for two' with a spicy 'stir-fried squid' on the side!

Sweet-salty beef bulgogi and clean, spicy stir-fried squid

The food comes out fully cooked from the kitchen, so you can eat right away without worrying about your clothes smelling of grill smoke. It also sits on a stone plate, which keeps it warm throughout the meal. I liked that.

🥩 48-hour aged garlic beef bulgogi set for two (husband's pick)

The 48-hour aged garlic beef bulgogi set for two comes neatly arranged, just right for two people sitting across from each other. The main beef bulgogi is served with stir-fried kimchi, enoki mushrooms and rice cakes, and the set also includes side dishes, refreshing bean sprout soup and fresh ssam (leaf wrap) vegetables.

The deeply seasoned, sweet-salty bulgogi was seriously delicious 😭 My husband said it was so good from the first bite and polished off a bowl of rice in no time!

🦑 Stir-fried squid added à la carte (Ori's pick)

The stir-fried squid was great to have when the bulgogi started to feel a little sweet. Once I tucked into the squid I'd ordered on the side, this combo was honestly a total winner!

It doesn't taste of artificial smoky flavored oil; it's the clean heat of the chili itself, so it felt fresh with no heaviness. The plump squid was chewy and full of savory depth... please, please order it 😭

Is stir-fried squid worth adding to the Bulgogi On Soban bulgogi set?

The bulgogi set for two is great on its own at Bulgogi On Soban, but I really recommend adding a single order of stir-fried squid!!! The sweet bulgogi with the spicy squid gives you a sweet-salty-spicy harmony you could keep eating forever!

Near the end of the meal they finished us off with corn and rice cakes, so the whole meal was good right to the last bite.

Where to eat a hearty Korean meal in Pangyo

My husband picked the bulgogi and I picked the squid, and we both scraped our dishes clean. It was a very satisfying weekend lunch. If you're wondering about lunch in Pangyo or want a filling Korean meal date, I'd recommend Bulgogi On Soban without hesitation! Which one tempts you more for lunch, sweet bulgogi or spicy stir-fried squid? 💛