Gangnam Korean BBQ lunch with bibim naengmyeon: Bongu Hwarro

There are so many places to eat around Gangnam Station, but it is not easy to find one that gets the price, flavor, and atmosphere all right. Especially in the middle of Gangnam, filling up on meat can make your wallet feel lighter in no time, right? 😂 But I was so happy with this visit that I really wanted to introduce it. The place we visited was Bongu Hwarro!

Where is Bongu Hwarro, and what is it like?

Bongu Hwarro is on the first floor of Star Palace, 76 Bongeunsa-ro 18-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. To be honest, you need to walk a little from Gangnam Station Exit 11 or Sinnonhyeon Station, and climb a steep hill, so it was a bit of a workout! On the way up, you might wonder, “Is this the right road?” But yes, it is. 😉

Still, once we made the climb, Bongu Hwarro’s cozy, atmospheric exterior made the anticipation bubble right up.

It is open from 11:30 AM to 11:30 PM, so it seemed great for lunch as well as a team dinner. The dining room was spacious and cozy too—just right for meeting friends. I did an opening-time run at 11:30, and there were already customers inside! Haha.

The meat selection ordered by four women

The four of us visited and, after wondering what to eat, decided to try a variety of meats! After much deliberation, we ordered 2 servings of pork belly, 1 serving of Iberico pork collar, and 1 serving of beef short rib meat—4 servings in total.

Once we had ordered, the charcoal brazier and the basic side dishes arrived one by one. There was green-onion kimchi, soy sauce-marinated raw crab, assorted ssam vegetables for wraps, garlic, ssamjang dipping paste, dongchimi radish-water kimchi, and other essential sides that go so well with meat. I also loved that they brought mushrooms whenever we ordered meat—such a thoughtful touch! These days, lots of places charge an arm and a leg for extra mushrooms, you know. 😉

Pork belly and beef grilled over charcoal

At last, our meat arrived and we placed it over the gently glowing charcoal brazier! It looked incredibly fresh from its bright red color alone. Perhaps because it cooked over the gentle heat, the meat browned beautifully and cooked through nicely, while the charcoal aroma tickled our noses.

We started with the pork belly. The balance of fat and lean meat was just right; it was crisp outside and moist inside, with a wonderfully rich flavor.

Wrapping a big bite in ssam vegetables with green-onion kimchi and grilled garlic was honestly heavenly!

Next, the grilled Iberico pork collar was not dry at all and was so good. The beef short rib meat had a pleasantly chewy texture and a deep meaty flavor that unfolded the more we chewed, so we enjoyed every last piece without getting tired of it.

Did the bibim naengmyeon go well with the meat?

We had filled up nicely on meat, but it would have been a shame to leave Bongu Hwarro without trying the naengmyeon! Reviews had praised it so highly that we ordered one serving of bibim naengmyeon, spicy mixed cold noodles, to share.

As soon as the bibim naengmyeon arrived, the nutty scent of sesame oil and the sweet-spicy seasoning really got our appetites going. We mixed it well and took a bite: the noodles were wonderfully chewy, and the sauce was not overwhelmingly spicy, so it was perfect wrapped with the meat. Best of all, although we had ordered bibim naengmyeon, they also brought a separate savory broth—so good!! Pouring in just enough broth to make it slightly soupy made for another delicious way to enjoy it. 👍

Why I would return even after climbing the hill

Bongu Hwarro is the place I would wholeheartedly recommend when you want to enjoy delicious charcoal Korean BBQ, generous side dishes, and naengmyeon near Gangnam Station. My legs hurt a little from climbing the hill, but the moment I ate a piece of meat sizzling on the grill, all that fatigue melted away. Meat after exercise really is the best, hahaha. We had such a satisfying spread—2 pork belly, 1 Iberico pork collar, 1 beef short rib meat, and 1 bibim naengmyeon—and were absolutely stuffed!

If you are looking for a place near Gangnam Station for a meat gathering, date, or company dinner, be sure to visit Bongu Hwarro at least once!