Yangju restaurant with staff-grilled charcoal dakgalbi: Seorak

Charcoal dakgalbi near Lakewood CC in Yangju

A newly opened favorite near Lakewood CC in Yangju: Seorak Makguksu Chuncheon Dakgalbi (설악막국수 춘천닭갈비).

My in-laws live in Uijeongbu, so Yangju is somewhere we visit now and then because it is close by. I recently heard that a great dakgalbi place had opened near Lakewood CC in Yangju, serving chicken grilled over charcoal rather than the usual iron griddle style. Since I was stopping by my in-laws' place for the first time in a while, I decided to bring my mother-in-law along and give it a try.

After about a 15-minute drive from my in-laws' house, we arrived at Seorak Makguksu Chuncheon Dakgalbi Yangju Branch.

There is a spacious parking lot right in front, so no need to worry about parking. We visited on a weekday, and it was especially roomy, making parking nice and easy.

A spotless interior and kiosk ordering

Heading inside! Since it is such a new restaurant, the interior was extremely clean and the tables were brand-new. The tables were spaced comfortably apart too, which made the whole place feel pleasant and airy.

We settled at a quiet table off to one side of the restaurant.

The menu at Seorak Makguksu Chuncheon Dakgalbi Yangju Branch.

You order from a kiosk at each table.

• Charcoal-grilled dakgalbi for 2 (₩32,000)
• Dessert bibim makguksu (₩6,000)
• Steamed rice (₩1,000)
• Total: ₩39,000

Staff-grilled charcoal dakgalbi

The charcoal was set up straight away. Chuncheon dakgalbi grilled over real charcoal!

The banchan (small side dishes) that came with the meal. The dongchimi, a chilled radish-water kimchi, was refreshing rather than sweet and really woke up the appetite. The tangy-sweet seasoned shredded radish was also absolutely delicious.

You can freely refill any side dishes at the self bar.

Disposable aprons and baby chairs are available too. At last, the gorgeous charcoal dakgalbi made its entrance! Marinated meat can so easily burn if you get it wrong, but there was no need to worry here. A skilled staff member grilled our dakgalbi so expertly!

What beautifully colored dakgalbi. The staff member cooked it all for us until it was easy to eat, so all we had to do was watch and endure the wait. The juicy, moist chicken thigh meat looked like it would be unfair if it did not taste good! Finally, the dakgalbi was ready. So that our perfectly cooked chicken would not burn in the residual heat, the staff member thoughtfully placed a second grill plate underneath it.

The charcoal dakgalbi was arranged so neatly and prettily. And there were soft rice cakes too... it looked incredibly appetizing.

How was that first bite?

Tender chicken thigh meat still full of moist juices, coated in a deep charcoal aroma—this was honestly on another level from griddle-style dakgalbi! My mother-in-law gave this charcoal dakgalbi a big thumbs-up too. 👍

Freshening up with dessert bibim makguksu

The name is Seorak Makguksu Chuncheon Dakgalbi, so it would be a shame to leave without trying the makguksu (buckwheat noodles). Since there were just two of us, we kept it simple and ordered the dessert-size bibim makguksu.

Mustard sauce and vinegar were on the table so you can season it to your taste. I generously added vinegar and mustard for that tangy-sweet kick!

After adding the mustard sauce and giving it a good shake-shake, the bibim makguksu became even tastier with spicy, sweet, and tangy notes. It was a beautifully balanced dish, perfect for refreshing the palate after the charcoal dakgalbi.

After the meal, I used the restroom inside the restaurant. Since it is a new place, the restroom was also kept very clean.

A coffee machine sits in front of the counter. Finishing with a cup of coffee after the meal made today's meal absolutely perfect~

Recommended for

• Anyone who likes authentic Chuncheon-style dakgalbi grilled over charcoal rather than on an iron griddle
• Visitors to Lakewood CC in Yangju