Daechi-dong Korean BBQ, tiered premium hanwoo platter: Gungmin Hanwoo

Today a school junior I hadn't seen in ages came up from Daegu to Seoul, so we had a combined lunch-and-dinner hangout. We spent it eating really good hanwoo at Gungmin Hanwoo House Samseong Station branch (국민한우집 삼성역본점), a beef spot in Daechi-dong! The high-quality hanwoo left us very satisfied. Let me introduce it right away.

Gungmin Hanwoo House Samseong Station branch: hours and how to get there

Gungmin Hanwoo House Samseong Station branch is open 11:00 to 22:00, with break time from 15:00 to 17:00 and last order at 21:00. It's on Teheran-ro 86-gil, about 480m from Samseong Station Exit 4.

It took about 7 minutes on foot, so we got there quickly. If you drive, you can park, but you'll need to use a nearby public parking lot, so keep that in mind.

What does the outside of Gungmin Hanwoo House look like?

Here's the outside of the restaurant.

The words "Gungmin Hanwoo House" on the taegeuk-shaped (yin-yang symbol) sign really jumped out at me. The sign also gives you a rough idea of the prices before you go in.

Let's head in.

Inside and seating: good for a group meal?

There's a table by the big windows that seats about 6, so it looked suitable for family meals or gatherings. Below is the inside of the restaurant.

At the entrance I spotted a plaque for a Presidential Award from the national hanwoo competition. We came early in the evening, so there weren't many customers and I could take photos freely.

The interior was neat and well kept, and above all it had a classy feel, which I loved.

Celebrity autographs are on display too, which made me even more excited about a place people clearly trust.

Menu and what we ordered

The menu has good-value set menus along with single orders of various cuts. We ordered the premium assortment and 2 bowls of bibim naengmyeon.

Besides the sets, you can enjoy various cuts individually at reasonable prices.

• Premium assortment
• 2 bibim naengmyeon

Side dishes

Once we ordered, the side dishes came out and the grill was lit.

There were seasoned bean sprouts, kimchi and more, all the kind of sides that bring out the flavor of the meat. Then our premium assortment arrived.

How was the premium assortment?

The premium assortment came with thick cuts and amazing marbling. The sirloin and tenderloin were mild and clean-tasting, and personally the rib finger meat was my favorite because it was so nutty.

It was also plated on a tiered dish, which made it look even more upscale and appetizing.

I put the meat on the grill and cooked it until the red was gone. Once a piece was done, I popped it straight into my mouth.

It was full of juice, and above all that clean, mild flavor was outstanding. The sirloin and tenderloin were wonderfully mild, and personally I loved how nutty the rib finger meat was.

Eating it with pickled onions and the side dishes was especially amazing.

Does the bibim naengmyeon go well with beef?

The sweet-and-spicy sauce of the bibim naengmyeon was great for resetting the palate after the rich beef. It had a bit more broth than usual for bibim naengmyeon, so at first I thought it was mul naengmyeon (cold noodles in broth).

Then the bibim naengmyeon we ordered arrived. It had a bit too much broth for bibim naengmyeon, so I thought it was mul naengmyeon, but it was bibim naengmyeon.

The sweet-and-spicy sauce really did cut through the greasiness of the beef, and the noodles were great on their own too. It was a dreamy combination that made me understand why you have to eat beef with naengmyeon.

Overall verdict on Gungmin Hanwoo House Samseong Station branch

Today I visited Gungmin Hanwoo House Samseong Station branch, a beef restaurant near Samseong Station. I liked being able to enjoy good-quality hanwoo at a reasonable price, and the place is spacious and clean, so it seems good for gatherings or company dinners too. I recommend it as a Daechi-dong restaurant.

• Clean, spacious restaurant
• Good-quality hanwoo at reasonable prices
• Group seating available, suitable for company dinners and gatherings
• Set menus make it great value