Korean BBQ lunch with unlimited rice refills in Jeongwang-dong: Hamdon

Last time I went to the Baegot branch of Hamdon and had such a great meal that as soon as I had a reason to be in Jeongwang-dong, I naturally looked up Hamdon first.

Turns out the Hamdon main branch is actually in Jeongwang-dong. Since I'd already had a great experience at the Baegot branch, this time I didn't hesitate — I headed straight to Hamdon Jeongwang Main Branch.

To cut to the chase, it was satisfying again, and this time I tried the lunch special, which turned out to be great value too — I'd recommend this to anyone looking for good food in Jeongwang-dong.

Parking and interior at Hamdon Jeongwang Main Branch

Hamdon Jeongwang Main Branch has an underground parking lot in the building, so parking was easier than I expected. When I visited, there was also plenty of open space in front of the store.

When you're driving to a meal, inconvenient parking can tire you out before you even sit down, so it was nice to not have that worry.

Even before stepping inside, the atmosphere caught my eye. The whole place was decorated to feel like Jeju Island, giving it a different vibe from your typical Korean BBQ restaurant.

Near the entrance, you can see the meat aging on display, which gave me the impression this is a place that really cares about its meat. It's also been recognized as a notable local restaurant before.

With the Jeju-style decor right from the entrance, I almost felt like I was on a little trip, even though I was just there for the meat. The interior was clean overall, and the staff were friendly.

We visited on a weekday for lunch, and even so, there were quite a few people there eating.

Hamdon Jeongwang Main Branch is actually known as a Jeongwang-dong Korean BBQ spot that runs a lunch special, and having staff grill the meat for you is such a nice touch, haha.

I always thought of this as a dinner-only meat place, but seeing so many customers at lunch too made me realize a lot of people come specifically for the lunch special.

How much meat comes with the lunch special?

This time we also ordered the Hamdon Jeongwang Main Branch lunch special.

I was a little worried a lunch special might come with a skimpy portion of meat, but once it arrived, the amount was just right for one meal.

Unlimited rice, noodle and broth refills

But what I liked most about the Hamdon lunch special was something else entirely. With the lunch special, rice and noodle refills are unlimited.

Meat alone is great, but at lunch I really want to eat rice too and feel full, so being able to have as much rice as I wanted was genuinely great. The noodle refills are unlimited too, which big eaters would really appreciate.

Especially when a group of grown men come in for lunch, portion size and price at a Korean BBQ place can get awkward, but here you can eat meat plus as much rice and noodles as you want, so it's a satisfying, filling meal.

The broth is also refillable whenever it runs low, so there was never any disappointment about running out during the meal. Even someone like me who doesn't eat that much can add a bit of everything, and for big eaters, this setup is genuinely a steal.

With rice, noodles and broth all generously available, I wouldn't hesitate to come here with big eaters.

Minari and myeoljeot: the same side dishes as dinner

And the lunch special wasn't simplified in terms of the basic spread, either.

The minari (water dropwort) and basic side dishes I had when I visited for dinner before were all prepared exactly the same, which I really liked.

Personally I love eating meat with minari — the minari lightly cooked in the meat's fat is fragrant and cuts through the richness perfectly.

A bite of meat with minari, dipped lightly in myeoljeot (fermented anchovy sauce) — that's when it hit me, this is really Hamdon. If you like myeoljeot, definitely try it with the meat here. Pork and myeoljeot are already a classic combo, but adding minari on top makes it even better.

Staff grill the aged pork at your table

At Hamdon Jeongwang Main Branch, staff grill the meat for you, which was such a relief. At a Korean BBQ place, having to constantly watch the grill and flip the meat can get stressful.

Here, since the staff grill it for you, you can just chat with the people you're with and wait comfortably, then eat it right when it's cooked to perfection. It felt like being genuinely taken care of, even at lunch.

The meat itself was delicious too. I came all the way to Jeongwang-dong because of how much I liked the Baegot branch, and it definitely wasn't a wasted trip.

Being aged meat, the juiciness and texture were both satisfying, and having the thick-cut meat grilled just right by the staff made it even easier to enjoy. Among the good restaurants in Jeongwang-dong, this one is especially great for people who care about the taste of the meat but don't want the hassle of grilling it themselves.

Kimchi jjigae packed with tofu

And something I really loved at Hamdon was the kimchi jjigae (kimchi stew).

The kimchi jjigae is genuinely so good. Eating meat and then finishing with kimchi jjigae is the perfect combo. It didn't feel like an afterthought dish — the broth was rich from the start, the kind that makes you keep thinking about rice.

In particular, the tofu wasn't just a token amount — it was packed in generously, almost densely. I love a lot of tofu in my kimchi jjigae, so this was extra satisfying.

A bite of meat, then a spoonful of hot kimchi jjigae, then back to the meat — there's no room to feel greasy. With rice on the side too, it really felt like a proper lunch. I even threw in extra noodles for the perfect meal!

Is the Hamdon lunch special worth it in Jeongwang-dong?

You'd think a lunch special would mean a lower price but a simpler meat and side dish spread, but what I liked about Hamdon was that everything I loved from my dinner visit was available at lunch too.

Minari came out, the basic side dishes were well prepared, the staff grilled the meat, and myeoljeot was available too — the satisfaction level was high. On top of that, plenty of rice and noodles made the lunch special quite filling.

After this visit, I understood why so many people come even at lunchtime.

Having now been to both the Baegot branch and the Jeongwang main branch, and been satisfied at both, I think I'll trust Hamdon whenever there's one nearby. Having tried the lunch special, I feel like I'll be back not just for dinner but for lunch too.

From the meat to the minari, myeoljeot and kimchi jjigae, it's a filling, delicious meal — I'd strongly recommend it as a place to eat well in Jeongwang-dong.

Hamdon Jeongwang Main Branch: address, parking and hours

• Location: 1st floor, 31-1 Jungsimsangga 3-gil, Siheung-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
• Parking: Underground parking available in the building