Daejeon Korean BBQ with a baby-friendly private room: Worang Myeongga

A Doan-dong Korean beef restaurant that was easy to visit with a baby

When going to a meat restaurant with a baby, I find myself checking the parking and seating before the food. It matters whether there is room for a high chair and whether we can eat without worrying about other diners, too. At Worang Myeongga Daejeon Doan Branch, we could take an elevator from the parking garage to the restaurant, and there was also a private six-person room, so it was comfortable to dine with our baby. Since it is a butcher-restaurant-style place where you can see and choose the meat yourself, it also seemed like a good option for a family meal or for bringing your parents.

From the parking garage by elevator

You can use the parking lot at Worang Myeongga Daejeon Doan Branch by entering from behind the building.

There is underground parking, so parking was not difficult, and being able to take the elevator from the garage was especially handy. When you are out with a baby, there is lots of luggage, plus a stroller or baby carrier to bring along. Being able to get there without stairs made things feel less daunting before we even entered.

A private six-person room with a high chair

Inside, the dining hall was spacious and generally felt neat and organized. Along with the open hall seating, there were several private rooms.

We were shown to a room that seats six. With two adults and a baby, there was plenty of space, and we could close the door for a private meal. I felt much more at ease than I would have at a table in the hall, even when the baby made noise or moved around. A high chair was available, too. The room was comfortable and the table was wide, so it would also suit a family meal with parents, a birthday, or an anniversary. For a larger group, it would be best to check whether a room can be reserved before visiting.

Choosing assorted special-cut Korean beef from the display case

Worang Myeongga uses a butcher-restaurant format, so you can look over the meat in the display case and choose it yourself. There were many options, from assorted Korean beef to individual cuts, making it fun to pick according to the number of people and everyone’s preferences.

We chose the 504 g assorted special-cut Korean beef platter so we could try several cuts at once. The meat was ₩148,680 at the time of our visit, and the table setting fee was ₩4,000 per adult. Prices may vary according to the weight and cut.

Looking at the platter piled with meat, each cut had slightly different marbling and appearance. I also liked being able to compare a variety of textures and flavors rather than ordering just one cut.

A roomy table setting and self-service bar

The table setting was neat, too. When I visited, side dishes and salad that paired well with the meat, along with yukhoe (Korean beef tartare), yuk sashimi (raw sliced beef), and cheonyeop (beef omasum), were served. The table was wide, so it did not feel cramped even with lots of dishes on it.

On one side of the hall, there was also a self-service bar where you could pick up additional food beyond the table setting. There was acorn jelly, vegetables, ssamjang (seasoned soybean dipping paste), and other foods that go well with meat. Rather than bringing lots of side dishes at once, I took only what we would eat, which kept the table tidy.

Korean beef quickly grilled over charcoal

The meat is grilled over charcoal. As soon as it hit the grill, a savory aroma rose up, and the gentle charcoal fragrance made the Korean beef flavor feel even richer.

By not grilling it for too long and quickly searing just the outside, it was tender and juicy. It was delicious over onion or with a little salt, but I found the nutty flavor came through best without any seasoning.

Mul naengmyeon and bibim naengmyeon after the meat

After we had eaten a good amount of meat, we ordered one Hamheung mul naengmyeon (cold buckwheat noodles in broth) and one bibim naengmyeon (spicy mixed cold noodles) as our finishing meal. Both were ₩6,000.

The mul naengmyeon broth was mild and clean, while the bibim naengmyeon was not overly spicy or intense. They felt like a good finishing meal, freshening the palate after the richly charcoal-scented meat.

In particular, topping the naengmyeon with a piece of meat made the final bites delicious, too.

Finishing with coffee and ice cream

After the meal, you can also use the dessert corner. Coffee and dessert ice cream were available, so we could wrap up our meal leisurely without going to a separate café. When you are out with a baby, moving somewhere else after eating can be a task in itself, so being able to take care of dessert in one place was quietly convenient.

Having visited myself, I remember Worang Myeongga Daejeon Doan Branch not only for its variety of meat, but also as a comfortable place to visit with a baby thanks to the parking-garage elevator, high chair, and private six-person room. The table setting fee is ₩4,000 per person, but the basic setting was neat and we could use the self-service bar, coffee, and ice cream as well. If you are looking for a family meal with your parents or a quiet restaurant with private rooms, it may be worth reserving before you visit.