Charcoal beef BBQ near Gongdeok Station with scallion gukbap: Usijang

Looking for beef in Mapo? What is Usijang Hoegwan like?

Usijang Hoegwan (우시장회관) is a beef restaurant between Mapo Station and Gongdeok Station, at 15-10 Samgae-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul (1st floor). I went while looking for somewhere good to eat beef around Mapo. There are so many BBQ places these days, but... Usijang Hoegwan has a slightly different vibe from the usual beef specialty spot ♡

You can get charcoal-grilled beef, yuksashimi (raw beef sashimi) and gukbap (rice soup) all in one place, so there's a wide choice for a meal!! That day, the marbling on the raw beef caught my eye, and the generous plate of yuksashimi was impressive too. For meat lovers, it looks appealing the moment the food arrives haha

Usijang Hoegwan exterior and atmosphere

From the outside, Usijang Hoegwan has that classic feel of a long-running beef restaurant ♡ The big sign lists menu items like Korean beef yuksashimi, haejangguk (hangover soup) and gukbap, and there are food photos set out in front of the entrance. Just from the exterior, you can tell it's a place built around meat, with a variety of meals too. It feels less like a trendy, stylish BBQ place and more like a neighborhood BBQ joint where you can sit back and eat comfortably!

Is the seating at Usijang Hoegwan good for family or friends?

Inside, every table has a grill and individual ventilation ducts hang from the ceiling, so it's well set up for charcoal grilling. There's space between tables, and seats for larger groups as well. Overall it's less about fancy decor and more of a practical space where you can focus on the meat. It seems fitting for a relaxed beef meal with friends or a family dinner 👍

Beef grilled over table charcoal

At Usijang Hoegwan, you grill the meat yourself over charcoal placed in the middle of the table. Big chunks of charcoal go into the grill, and it kept that distinctive charcoal-grill atmosphere. Beef changes in texture depending on how long you cook it, so I personally like grilling it directly over charcoal. Thick cuts especially are fun: sear the outside first, then cook the inside to your taste ♡

One plate with marbled raw beef, galbi-sal and LA galbi

The beef came on a big stainless steel plate with several cuts. There was high-quality beef with fine, even marbling, and on the other side thickly cut galbi-sal (rib meat) and LA galbi (cross-cut short ribs)!! Even on one plate, it promised a variety of textures. Since doneness matters so much with beef, I thought it's better to grill only as much as you're about to eat rather than putting too much on at once.

What does the yuksashimi at Usijang Hoegwan look like?

The yuksashimi comes on a black plate, covered with thin, wide slices of red raw beef. Out of everything that day, it was the yuksashimi that caught my eye. The full plate looked really appetizing. Unlike grilled beef, yuksashimi is all about the texture of raw meat, so the quality and trimming of the meat matter a lot!! Ordering charcoal-grilled beef and yuksashimi together lets you enjoy beef in two different ways, which is a big plus ♡

Usijang Hoegwan gukbap with big chunks of meat

Usijang Hoegwan isn't just about grilled beef; the gukbap caught my eye too. The gukbap in a large bowl had big chunks of meat in it, with plenty of scallions piled on top of the broth. Instead of a few shreds of meat, big pieces sit right at the center, so it looks hearty from the first glance ♡

Who is Usijang Hoegwan right for?

Usijang Hoegwan is a Mapo BBQ restaurant where you can enjoy a range of beef dishes in one place: charcoal-grilled beef, yuksashimi and gukbap 👍 What impressed me most was, of course, how the meat looked. The finely marbled beef and the yuksashimi each had their own appeal. And with a gukbap full of big chunks of meat, there's an option for anyone who wants a hearty meal rather than just grilled meat!! The interior has a comfortable BBQ-restaurant feel too... so it's worth considering for a family dinner or a meal with friends 👍