Ilsan steak restaurant near KINTEX: 300g wagyu, Upstairs Kitchen

After staying at Sonocam Goyang, I was looking for good restaurants around KINTEX in Ilsan for the next day's schedule and found Upstairs Kitchen on Bamridan-gil 🤎 I really really really recommend it. You'll see why from the photos.

10 minutes from KINTEX: Upstairs Kitchen Bamridan-gil's location and reservation

Upstairs Kitchen Bamridan-gil Branch

Upstairs Kitchen is right next to Jeodong Elementary School, about a 10-minute drive from KINTEX. I made a reservation ahead of time before visiting!

Even on weekdays it gets busy, and peak time slots fill up fast, so I'd recommend booking ahead. The space feels tastefully done from the moment you walk in.

How many parking spots are there?

Upstairs Kitchen Bamridan-gil is located on an alley, and there's parking for about 4–5 cars in front of the shop! *When full, use nearby spots or the Jeongbalsan temporary public parking lot.

Upstairs Kitchen's atmosphere, with a tree view through the window

The first thing you notice walking in is the clean yet warm atmosphere ••🤎 The tree view through the window, with the elementary school fence peeking through in colorful bits, made me happy the second I saw it — it doesn't face the sun directly, so it's never too hot or glaring :) The wood-tone interior with soft lighting felt cozy, and the tables were spaced well enough for easy conversation.

There are about 7 tables, and the restaurant is fairly spacious, making Upstairs Kitchen Bamridan-gil great for an Ilsan date spot, anniversary dinner, or family gathering. A lot of restaurants these days are no-kids zones, but this one has baby chairs, so you can bring your kids too!

What my sister and I ordered

📋 Order sheet

• Premium wagyu sirloin steak 300g
• Mushroom cream pasta
• Triple berry ade

Lemon water and triple berry ade

The lemon water and triple berry ade came out first. So refreshing 🍋 🍓 🫐 I'm not great at drinking plain water, so when they serve lemon water like this I'm touched ,, there's a strong mint scent too, delicious from the first sip.

Packed with berries, so refreshing and cool that I was extremely satisfied — can you tell from the corners of my mouth?

How does the mushroom cream pasta taste?

I ordered the mushroom cream pasta to go along with the steak. I'd already picked it as my top choice before my sister even arrived, and it did not disappoint. The cream sauce wasn't too heavy, and the mushroom flavor came through strong. The noodles were cooked just right, and the sauce coated them evenly so the taste stayed consistent till the last bite!!!

Plenty of mushrooms gave it great texture, the cream wasn't overly rich, and the mushrooms themselves were quite big with a great aroma — both my sister and I were very happy with the taste and texture 🍄🟫

Premium wagyu sirloin steak 300g, medium-rare

I think this might be the best steak in Ilsan • • • The searing, the resting, the doneness — all perfect. I loved the thickness the moment it arrived! I ordered it medium-rare, and it wasn't tough at all, cutting smoothly, and the more I chewed the more the signature nutty wagyu flavor came through.

The meat's own juiciness meant it was plenty delicious even without any sauce, but! The garnish that came with it paired well too, so I could enjoy it all the way through without feeling heavy.

I usually like steak, but this one impressed me quite a lot. Potatoes 🥔 for my sister, broccoli 🥦 for me — the sides made us each happy in our own way, and I get why it's called an Ilsan steak favorite ➰

Would I go back to Upstairs Kitchen Bamridan-gil?

Overall, I was satisfied with the atmosphere, food, and service at Upstairs Kitchen Bamridan-gil - ! They explained each dish as it came out, refilled what we needed right away, and the restaurant itself wasn't noisy, so it felt comfortable. The premium wagyu sirloin steak's juiciness and flavor were especially good, and the mushroom cream pasta was an easy, satisfying taste too — a place I'd like to visit again !!!

Anyone want to come with me?