Geomdan gopchang restaurant with tableside grilling: Ilpum Gopchang

A weekday evening at Ilpum Gopchang in Geomdan

I visited Ilpum Gopchang Geomdan New Town Main Branch around 6:30pm on a weekday, in Geomdan New Town.

There were two of us, and we ordered 2 servings of gopchang (grilled intestines) and a bottle of Kooksoondang makgeolli (rice wine).

I'd been craving gopchang and came for dinner, so let me walk through the vibe of the place and the menu we ordered.

Where is Dasung Plaza 2, and is there parking near Ara Station?

Ilpum Gopchang is located at 12 Barimi-ro 5beon-gil, Seo-gu, Incheon, in Units 101 and 102 of Dasung Plaza 2.

It's right next to a Paik's Coffee, so once you find the building, spotting the restaurant isn't hard. It's also fairly close to Ara Station, so it's a decent option if you're coming by public transit.

You can use the building's basement parking lot, with 2 hours free. It was nice not to worry about parking fees when driving over.

Inside Ilpum Gopchang: tidy and family-friendly

Inside Ilpum Gopchang, regular tables sit alongside sofa-style seating.

The overall atmosphere is clean and tidy, making it a good fit for a family meal or dinner with friends.

Groups can be accommodated and there are high chairs, so it looked like a fine spot for families too.

What side dishes are at the self-serve bar?

The basic banchan (side dishes) at Ilpum Gopchang are self-serve — you take as much as you need.

Chive salad, pickled onion, and kimchi are all set out, along with a spicy bean sprout soup.

Pairing the savory gopchang with chives or pickled onion, and having the spicy bean sprout soup in between, let us switch up flavors throughout the meal.

Two servings of Ilpum Hanwoo Gopchang, grilled at the table

What we ordered that day was 2 servings of the Ilpum Hanwoo Gopchang.

The gopchang comes pre-seared, topped with rice cakes, potatoes, onion, bean sprouts, and chives. Staff grilled it themselves and cut it into easy-to-eat pieces, so we didn't have to worry about timing the grill ourselves.

As the gopchang cooked, the outside turned golden while the inside stayed full of rich fat — that's the signature look.

The savory fat and chewy texture worked well together, and pairing it with chives or pickled onion made the flavor even cleaner. Alternating with the grilled rice cakes, potatoes, and bean sprouts kept the textures from getting repetitive.

Beef liver and cheonyeop (tripe) served alongside

Order gopchang at Ilpum Gopchang and you also get liver and cheonyeop (beef tripe) served alongside. Being able to mix in other cuts instead of just eating gopchang the whole time made the meal more enjoyable, with a variety of flavors to try.

The Ilpum Gopchang menu also includes Ilpum Sodaechang (beef large intestine) and Ilpum Yeomtong (heart), and if you want to try several cuts together, there's the Ilpum Assorted Platter too.

I especially love gopchang over other cuts, so that's what I ordered — and it really did taste great.

Kooksoondang makgeolli with hanwoo gopchang

Alongside the gopchang, we ordered a bottle of Kooksoondang makgeolli.

Sipping makgeolli with the savory gopchang, and adding in the spicy bean sprout soup and pickled onion here and there, made for a great weekday dinner.

Other Ilpum Gopchang menu items beyond gopchang

Beyond gopchang, daechang (large intestine), and yeomtong (heart), the menu also has hanwoo gopchang jeongol (hot pot) and fried rice. There's cheese fried rice with egg added, plus pork cutlet, so it's a good option to bring kids along too.

Ilpum Gopchang hours, address and parking

• Restaurant: Ilpum Gopchang Geomdan New Town Main Branch
• Address: 12 Barimi-ro 5beon-gil, Seo-gu, Incheon, South Korea, Units 101, 102
• Hours: Weekdays 16:00–24:00 / Weekends 15:00–24:00
• Last order: 23:00
• Parking: Free for 2 hours in the building's basement parking lot

Is Ilpum Gopchang worth it for gopchang in Geomdan?

At Ilpum Gopchang Geomdan New Town Main Branch, it was convenient having staff grill the gopchang themselves and cut it into easy-to-eat pieces. The hanwoo gopchang, full of rich fat, paired well with chives, pickled onion, and the spicy bean sprout soup, making for a satisfying gopchang-centered meal.

If you're looking for gopchang around Ara-dong and want parking sorted too, this place is worth a visit. With hanwoo gopchang plus daechang, yeomtong, the assorted platter, and gopchang jeongol all on the menu, I'd love to come back and try the other cuts next time at Ilpum Gopchang Geomdan New Town Main Branch. ^^