Gwacheon duck brisket BBQ: 4-team weekend lunch wait at Deo Chadol

Lunch at Deo Chadol in Gwacheon before Seoul Grand Park

On a day we'd planned to visit the zoo at Seoul Grand Park, we decided to grab lunch nearby first. Searching for good restaurants around Seoul Grand Park, I found Deo Chadol. The duck brisket BBQ looked a bit unusual, cut like chadolbagi (thinly sliced beef brisket), so my boyfriend and I decided to try it together.

I was curious how it would taste compared to regular grilled duck, and eating it in person, it was leaner than expected, and the combination with minari (water dropwort) and the house sauce was pretty good. We visited around 12:40pm on a weekend, and since it was lunchtime, there were about 4 teams waiting ahead of us. Still, we got in after about 15 minutes.

Where is Deo Chadol in Gwacheon, and is there parking?

Deo Chadol is located on the 1st floor at 5 Dwitgol2-ro, Gwacheon-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea. It's within walking distance of Seonbawi Station, so it's a fine option even without a car. It's also a good stop to combine with a meal while touring Gwacheon spots like Seoul Land, Seoul Grand Park, Let's Run Park, and the National Science Museum.

There's also a parking area, said to hold about 15 cars. We came by public transit, but for weekend family outings or bigger groups, this should ease parking worries a bit haha.

Inside Deo Chadol: a spacious dining room

Stepping inside, the restaurant was bigger than expected, with generous spacing between tables, making it comfortable to eat. There were a lot of families around, and there was also a separate dining area, so it seemed good for family gatherings or small get-togethers too. Baby chairs were available, and one wall was lined with celebrity autographs. Apparently actor Ryu Seung-ryong has visited too, so we were extra curious going in — and after eating, I get why it's popular haha.

There was also a self-serve bar on one side of the restaurant. It was nice being able to freely refill side dishes or vegetables as needed.

Deo Chadol menu: why we chose the 55,000 won couple course

Deo Chadol couple course (₩55,000) — we ordered the Deo Chadol couple course! For two people, ordering the course felt like the easier way to go.

What the duck brisket BBQ at Deo Chadol tastes like

The first dish out was the duck brisket BBQ. It came thinly sliced, giving it a different feel from typical duck meat, and once grilled it was leaner and cleaner-tasting than expected. Most of all, there was almost no distinct duck smell, and you could really taste the meat itself, making it easy to eat without any hesitation.

For me, the best combination was wrapping it with minari and dipping it in the house sauce. The minari's aroma brought out extra savoriness, and I kept reaching for more!

The soybean paste stew was slightly spicy but not heavy, so it went well alongside the meat. And the stew included in the course could actually be swapped for a different menu item when ordering. If you have something specific in mind, you can pick according to your taste haha.

Duck brisket BBQ or raw duck stir-fry — which is better?

Where the duck brisket BBQ was lean and clean, the raw duck stir-fry had seasoning added, giving it a richer flavor. I liked putting the meat on lettuce with perilla leaf and green onion kimchi for a wrap — much tastier that way! My boyfriend said he preferred the duck brisket BBQ over the stir-fry, since it let him taste the duck's natural flavor more.

Finishing the course with fried rice

Even after all the meat, we still had room for the fried rice at the end haha. We left a bit of duck meat aside and mixed it into the fried rice, which added even more meaty flavor and made it that much better. A really satisfying finish overall ^0^

Would I go back to Deo Chadol in Gwacheon?

Overall, I prefer meat without a strong gamey smell, so the duck brisket BBQ was especially good for me. My boyfriend also said he preferred the duck brisket BBQ over the raw duck stir-fry, since it let the duck's natural flavor come through more. If you like seasoned meat, though, the raw duck stir-fry might suit you better.

We stopped by for lunch before heading to Seoul Grand Park, and between the two dishes in the couple course plus the fried rice at the end, it was a satisfying, filling meal haha. Just keep in mind there can be a wait during weekend lunch, so it's worth visiting with a bit of extra time.